Stereotactic body radiotherapy for prostate cancer

The use of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for localised prostate cancer is now supported by a substantial body of non-randomised data, with medium-term outcomes consistent with current standard radiotherapy. The ability to deliver profoundly hypofractionated treatment, combined with the relatively low α/β ratio of prostate cancer, may result in a more favourable therapeutic ratio, presenting an opportunity for isotoxic dose escalation. Furthermore, as treatment can be given in five attendances, SBRT has the potential both to reduce costs and improve patient quality of life. However, in a treatment landscape with many competing options of broadly similar efficacy, randomised trials are essential to define the relative benefits of this approach. SBRT also has an emerging application in oligometastatic prostate cancer, with promising early outcomes for delaying disease progression and deferring the need for androgen deprivation therapy.