Role of Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy in Primary Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Review of Clinical Trials

About 90% of kidney cancers are primary renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). Globally, the incidence of RCC has increased by roughly 2% annually during the previous 20 years. Sixty-five percent of patients currently have localized disease, with a 93% 5-year relative survival rate due to its heterogeneous nature. The reason is the incidental detection of small, localized kidney cancers using imaging. While radical or partial nephrectomy is the mainstay of therapy for patients with curative intent, it is associated with a 1.4% perioperative mortality rate. In light of this, radiation is being incorporated into its multidisciplinary management. Prior phase 1 clinical trials with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for primary RCC were characterized by short follow-up periods, incomplete pathologic data, and most patients who were not surgical candidates. Here, our attention has been closely analyzing the phase 2 SABR trials to address advanced clinical approaches and areas of ongoing research for integrating SABR into primary RCC therapy.