Catherine C. Park, MD, FASTRO

DISCUSSANT OF the abstract, Catherine C. Park, MD, FASTRO, Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of California, San Francisco, expressed excitement about this study’s results, which suggest the possibility of curing patients with stage IV disease.

“We’re seeing the increasing relevance of local regional treatment in many emerging paradigms,” said Dr. Park. “With the onset of more effective chemotherapies, systemic therapies, and biologics that can eradicate distant disease effectively, disease that remains local and is still responsive—but for which chemotherapy is not quite enough—seems like a great opportunity for radiation therapy.”

“I think we’ll see this theme more and more in terms of treating oligometastasis as we start to look at other disease sites and certainly with immune therapy now here to stay,” Dr. Park added. “There are multiple opportunities to be thinking about how radiation as a local therapy can impact a systemic disease and cure.” ■

DISCLOSURE: Dr. Park reported no conflicts of interest.