From the October 2018 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine

SAbR is changing radiotherapy, rapidly. Centers without SAbR-trained physicians and equipment are facing considerable competitive disadvantage. SAbR is high-tech and not cheap. But short course, ablative therapy is cost-effective. Fortunately, this is one of the first medical technology innovations that “grew up” during an era where clinical trials were both feasible and expected. Data from these trials is clear. First, SAbR is very potent, yielding exceptional tumor control. The potency also means the therapy can injure normal tissues. Training to properly use SAbR and avoid toxicity is available for guiding physicians, physicists, and care givers. Trials in new indications, including metastatic cancer, are ongoing, which could dramatically increase the number of patients who might benefit. SAbR is transforming radiotherapy, just in time.

About the author: Dr. Robert D. Timmerman is a professor of radiation oncology and neurosurgery and Effie Marie Cain Distinguished Chair in Cancer Therapy Research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX.

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