[Stereotactic radiotherapy is established treatment in localized non-small cell lung cancer]

Surgery has been the standard treatment in localized non-small cell lung cancer. Some of the early stage lung cancer patients are not suitable for surgery owing to associated diseases or refusing surgery. Ninety percent of untreated patients die within five years. Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy is a technique in which highly focused radiation treatment is given at a couple of high single doses to the tumor region. The treatment results in an average of 90% local control of the cancer, and the adverse effects are minor. Treatment outcome is equivalent to those of surgical therapy and is better than obtained with conventional external radiation therapy.