Oligometastatic disease

Abstract

© 2014 Future Medicine Ltd. All rights reserved.Distant metastasis can occur after curative radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma even when locoregional control is achieved. A subset of patients with lung metastasis alone, a limited number of metastases and a long disease-free survival may have a more favorable prognosis, rendering it worthwhile to consider a more aggressive local ablative approach to those oligometastatic sites in an attempt to improve survival. Various modalities of local aggressive therapy, including stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), are discussed. Data in the literature suggest that SBRT may offer excellent local control comparable to surgical metastatectomy. Prospective trials, preferably randomized Phase III, are eagerly awaited to better define the role of SBRT in the management of oligometastasis from nasopharyngeal carcinoma.