HMN 2026: How Targeted radiation therapy can be safely combined with chemotherapy

A University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center study shows that a targeted form of radiation therapy can be safely delivered alongside high-dose chemotherapy and systemic therapy without requiring patients to pause their cancer treatment. The study is published in the journal Cureus.

Research has shown that for patients with stage IV cancer, adding procedures to destroy or remove specific tumors can improve outcomes when combined with systemic therapies like chemotherapy. Doctors typically use one of three approaches: surgery, interventional ablative techniques or stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). Surgery and interventional procedures may require stopping chemotherapy for weeks, which could allow the cancer to progress.

The study, led by UK Markey Cancer Center radiation oncologist Mark E. Bernard, M.D., shows that SABR, a treatment that delivers high doses of targeted radiation that destroys cancer cells, can be given safely and effectively combined with chemotherapy.

“SABR offers an option that allows patients to continue their chemotherapy uninterrupted,” said Bernard, an associate professor in the UK College of Medicine’s Department of Radiation Medicine. “For patients with limited metastatic disease, avoiding treatment delays can make a real difference.”

The retrospective study examined six patients with various types of stage IV cancers who had limited spread, defined as one to five metastatic tumor sites. Patients received SABR during their “off week” from chemotherapy, when drug levels are lowest. This timing reduces the risk of side effects from combining treatments. None of the patients experienced serious side effects from the combination therapy.

The findings support an upcoming clinical trial that will combine SABR with immunotherapy and chemotherapy to provide more evidence for this treatment approach.

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