Radiotherapy for Lung Metastases: Conventional to Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

The lung parenchyma and adjacent tissues are one of the most common sites of metastatic disease. Traditionally, the approach to treatment of a patient with lung metastases has been with systemic therapy, with radiotherapy being reserved for palliative management of symptomatic disease. The concept of oligo metastatic disease has paved the way for more radical treatment options, administered either alone or as local consolidative therapy in addition to systemic treatment. The modern-day management of lung metastases is guided by a number of factors, including the number of lung metastases, extra-thoracic disease status, overall performance status, and life expectancy, which all help determine the goals of care. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has emerged as a safe and effective method in locally controlling lung metastases, in the oligo metastatic or oligo-recurrent setting. This article outlines the role of radiotherapy in multimodality management of lung metastases.