Stereotactic ablative radiation therapy SABR

SABR targets tumours in the body with high doses of radiation therapy. It destroys cancer cells with minimum damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

• You might be offered SABR instead of surgery
• It’s used to treat lung, spine, liver and bone tumours and tumours in individual lymph nodes
• It offers some patients longer disease and symptom control and improved quality of life
• It may use ‘rotational radiation therapy’ (VMAT) to focus a high dose of radiation to the tumour
• Surrounding healthy tissue receives a lower dose, minimising the risks of side-effects
• Targeted treatment means that SABR is effective and usually over quickly – just three to eight sessions