Stereotactic Radiotherapy

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What is it for?

Targeting tumours with radiation from many different directions

Related conditions

Early stage lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK. Early stage lung cancer may not cause noticeable symptoms, but it requires treatment.

Late stage lung cancer

Late stage lung cancer is the most advanced lung cancer and occurs when the disease has spread beyond the lungs to other areas of the body.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive cancer that is typically caused by exposure to asbestos fibres. Early detection is key for effective treatment.

Non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases.

Small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer occurs when healthy cells in the lungs become cancerous and begin to multiply quickly.

Thymic cancer

Thymic cancer is rare, but it can occur and requires early diagnosis and treatment.

Thymoma

Thymomas are a type of thymic cancer that causes tumours to develop in your thymus gland (a gland between your lungs and behind your breastbone).

What is stereotactic radiotherapy?

Stereotactic radiotherapy for lung cancer delivers extremely precise, high doses of radiation directly to cancerous tumours. Using state-of-the-art technology, stereotactic radiotherapy pinpoints the exact 3D location of a tumour within the body and tracks it throughout treatment. This precision minimises damage to healthy tissue, resulting in fewer side effects compared to conventional radiotherapy.

Due to the treatment’s accuracy and the high dosage delivered with each treatment, fewer sessions are required. The treatment is also more effective at destroying cancer cells.

Usually, you will have between one to eight sessions of stereotactic radiotherapy, with each appointment lasting around 30–60 minutes.

Stereotactic radiotherapy is typically undertaken as part of a personalised, multimodal approach to cancer. This may also include chemotherapy, immunotherapy and other forms of ablation or surgery.

A photo of a radiologist ensuring a patient is safe whilst the linac stereotactic radiotherapy machine is in progress.

Why might I need stereotactic radiotherapy?

Stereotactic radiotherapy is used to treat early-stage lung cancer, as well as areas of cancer that haven’t spread to other parts of the body — typically in the lungs, bones, lymph nodes, adrenals, liver or brain.

It may also be considered if you:

Have a tumour that isn’t suitable for conventional radiotherapy
Have a health condition that makes surgery or general anaesthetic difficult
Prefer to avoid surgery for personal reasons

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Diagnostics we offer

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)

An EBUS is an advanced diagnostic method which provides a precise, real-time assessment of the lungs, lymph nodes and surrounding structures.

Low-dose CT for lung cancer screening

Low-dose computed tomography is used for the early detection of lung cancer, when treatment is most effective.

Lung Health Check

A comprehensive service designed to assess your lung function, identify early signs of lung disease including lung cancer, and provide personalised advice.

PET-CT scans

PET and CT scans are advanced imaging techniques used to look for disease, inflammation or infection in your body.

Rapid molecular diagnostics

Molecular diagnostics can help us to personalise your treatment plan by detecting: driver mutations, RNA fusions, immunotherapy markers, drug resistance.

Video-assisted thoracoscopy and mediastinoscopy

Video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) and mediastinoscopy are surgical techniques used to diagnose and treat various chest conditions, including lung cancer.

What to expect during and after stereotactic radiotherapy

Step 1

Preparing for stereotactic radiotherapy

Before your treatment, you’ll have scans (CT, MRI or PET) to map your tumour and minimise damage to healthy tissue. You may be fitted with a mask or small skin markings to guide the radiation.

Wear loose clothing without metal and remove jewellery. Your care team will also review your medical history before treatment begins.

Step 2

During stereotactic radiotherapy

You’ll lie on a treatment couch while any masks or guides are applied. Once you're in position, the team will leave the room but stay in contact throughout.

Treatment takes 30–60 minutes and is painless. You’ll be able to go home the same day.

A consultant talking through a document with a patient

Step 3

Recovery and aftercare

You can return to normal activities within 1–2 days. It’s safe to be around others, and you may be advised to use moisturiser and wear loose clothing.

Your care team will review side effects and progress during and after your treatment.

Why choose The London Clinic Lung Centre?

World-class lung treatment

At The London Clinic Lung Centre, our specialists work at the forefront of cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment advancements. Not only do they have a comprehensive understanding of the latest techniques, but they are also the researchers driving them forward. As a result, you can rely on The London Clinic Lung Centre for exceptional care for chest conditions.

Personal care, every time

Exceptional patient care is at the heart of everything we do. Our teams will be with you every step of the way, providing timely results and a tailored care plan. To ensure the highest standards of care, we maintain a low staff-to-patient ratio, allowing our team to offer a truly personalised experience that considers the needs of both the patient and their family. Our goal is to foster the trust and confidence of our patients.

Effortlessly simple

Our multidisciplinary teams and specialists work as one to guide you through every step of your patient experience. From explaining your personalised treatment plan to managing every detail, we ensure a stress-free process, so that you can focus on healing. Whether it is your first consultation or follow-up care, our teams are here to provide the streamlined, comprehensive care you deserve.

Related experts

Dr Hemal Ariyaratne

Consultant Clinical Oncologist

MBBS, MSc, MD, MRCP, FRCR

Stereotactic radiotherapy FAQs

While the side effects of stereotactic radiotherapy for lung cancer are less common than with conventional radiotherapy, you may still experience some. If you are affected by side effects following treatment, they tend to develop days, weeks or even months after treatment.

Possible side effects include:

Soreness and swelling in the treated area
Fatigue
Red, dry or itchy skin
Coughing and shortness of breath

Compared to standard radiotherapy and surgery, the benefits of stereotactic radiotherapy include:

Fewer side effects
Minimal recovery
Fewer treatment sessions

At The London Clinic Lung Centre, we use state-of-the-art equipment to deliver highly precise stereotactic radiotherapy. We have two machines which can be used to deliver treatment, the RapidArc (which uses a linear accelerator to deliver highly-targeted radiation as it rotates around the patient in a 360-degree arc) and the CyberKnife platform – the first and only fully robotic radiotherapy device.

These systems deliver beams of radiation from various angles while you are lying on a treatment couch. As you breathe or move during treatment, your tumour may shift position. Both of these machines monitor your movements and adjust their radiation beams to deliver precise treatment.

Step 1: Preparing for stereotactic radiotherapy

Before your stereotactic body radiotherapy, you will undergo a computed tomography (CT) scan to create a detailed image of your lungs. Depending on your case, your specialist may also recommend a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or positron emission tomography (PET) scan to gather additional information.

These images will enable your consultant to pinpoint exactly where the radiation needs to hit to treat the tumour and reduce damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.

Your consultant may also create a mask or mould to help you stay in the correct position during your treatment. Alternatively, small metal markers may be placed near your tumour, and tiny markings may be made on your skin to help guide the radiation.

On the day of your treatment, you will need to wear loose, comfortable clothing without any metal items (for example, buttons or zips) and remove any jewellery. Your care team will review your medical history and discuss any conditions you have, including whether you are or could be pregnant.

Step 2: During stereotactic radiotherapy

To begin the treatment, you will lie on a radiotherapy couch, and your care team will apply any moulds or markers needed to guide the radiation. They will help to make you comfortable so that you can stay as still as possible throughout the treatment.

Once you are in the right position, the radiographers will leave the room. They will be able to see and hear you at all times and can communicate with you via intercom.

You won’t feel anything during the treatment. It usually takes 30–60 minutes, and you’ll be able to go home on the same day.

Once the treatment is complete, your radiographers will re-enter the room and help you get down from the treatment couch.

Step 3: Recovery and aftercare

After each treatment session, you will be able to go straight home and should be able to resume normal activities within one to two days. You will not be radioactive after the treatment, so it will be safe to be around other people straight away.

Your care team may advise you to use a moisturiser on the treated area and to wear loose-fitting clothing to avoid rubbing.

Between each treatment session, you will have regular reviews with your care team. These will assess whether you are experiencing any side effects and how well the treatment is working.

Once you have completed your full course of treatment, you will have a follow-up appointment with your consultant to ensure your recovery is progressing as expected.