Practical Aspects of Delivering Radiation for Polymetastatic Disease.

Abstract

Patients with polymetastatic cancer have traditionally been treated with systemic therapies, whereas radiation therapy has played a mainly supportive role, typically using simple, nonconformal techniques for palliation of the most symptomatic sites. More recently, however, stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) therapy has emerged as a feasible and safe option for select patients with widespread polymetastatic disease, building on its established efficacy in the oligometastatic setting and supported by encouraging data from recent clinical trials. In parallel, low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) has been investigated as an immunomodulatory approach designed to enhance the effectiveness of systemic immunotherapy. As conformal radiation therapy expands into the polymetastatic setting, the integration of SABR or LDRT presents distinct clinical, technical, and logistical challenges that require tailored protocols and workflow adaptations to ensure safety, feasibility, and therapeutic effectiveness. In this article, we provide a practical, evidence-informed overview of SABR and LDRT strategies across the radiation therapy workflow to support their safe and effective implementation in complex clinical scenarios, illustrated through real-world case examples from patients with widespread polymetastatic disease. Our aim is to offer clinicians and multidisciplinary teams a comprehensive, implementation-focused resource to facilitate the integration of SABR and LDRT into the management of polymetastatic cancer.