Utilization of radiotherapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy for renal cell cancer in the USA

Aim: This study evaluated national practice patterns of cT1N0M0 renal cell cancer, with a focus on stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) utilization. Methods: The National Cancer Database was queried (2004-2013) for patients with newly-diagnosed cT1a/bN0M0 renal cell cancer that received definitive treatment. Temporal trends in utilization were tabulated. Results: Altogether, 138,495 patients met inclusion criteria; 13,725 (9.9%) patients received ablative therapy, 57,924 (41.8%) partial nephrectomy, 67,168 (48.5%) radical nephrectomy and 308 (0.2%) external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). The proportion of EBRT that was SBRT increased substantially from 25% in 2004 to 95.4% in 2013, with a sharp inflection point from 2005 to 2006. Conclusion: SBRT utilization has sharply risen over time; in most recent years, the vast majority of EBRT is delivered in the form of SBRT.