Time course and predictive factors for lung volume reduction following stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) of lung tumors

BACKGROUND: Stereotactic ablative volume reduction (SAVR) is a potential alternative to lung-volume reduction surgery in patients with severe emphysema and excessive surgical risk. Having previously observed a dose-volume response for localized lobar volume reduction after stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for lung tumors, we investigated the time course and factors associated with volume reduction. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 70 eligible patients receiving lung tumor SABR during 2007-2013. We correlated lobar volume reduction (relative to total, bilateral lung volume [TLV]) with volume receiving high biologically effective doses (V(XXBED3)) and other pre-treatment factors in all patients, and measured the time course of volume changes on 3-month interval CT scans in patients with large V(60BED3) (n = 21, V(60BED3) ≥4.1 % TLV). RESULTS: Median CT follow-up was 15 months. Median volume reduction of treated lobes was 4.5 % of TLV (range 0.01–13.0 %), or ~9 % of ipsilateral lung volume (ILV); median expansion of non-target adjacent lobes was 2.2 % TLV (−4.6–9.9 %; ~4 % ILV). Treated lobe volume reduction was significantly greater with larger V(XXBED3) (XX = 20–100 Gy, R(2) = 0.52–0.55, p < 0.0001) and smaller with lower pre-treatment FEV1% (R(2) = 0.11, p = 0.005) in a multivariable linear model. Maximum volume reduction was reached by ~12 months and persisted. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a multivariable model for lobar volume reduction after SABR incorporating dose-volume and pre-treatment FEV1% and characterized its time course. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13014-016-0616-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.