Cancer is often thought of as a disease that spreads quickly and becomes harder to treat over time. When cancer spreads from its original location to other parts of the body, this is called metastasis.
In many cases, widespread metastasis is very difficult to control. However, there is a middle stage known as oligometastatic cancer, where only a small number of metastases are present.
At this stage, treatment may still be very effective, and some patients can live for many years with a good quality of life.
A new international study led by experts from MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna is changing how doctors evaluate treatments for this stage of cancer. The findings were published in The Lancet Oncology.
The researchers worked together to define better ways to measure whether treatments are truly helping patients, focusing on what matters most to them.
The study looked closely at a type of treatment called metastasis-directed therapy, or MDT. This approach focuses on treating each metastasis directly using precise methods.
These methods include stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, surgery, and thermal treatments. They are designed to target tumors very accurately, often with fewer side effects than traditional treatments.
The research was based on data from a large project called OligoCare. This is the world’s largest study of its kind, involving more than 3,500 patients with oligometastatic cancer. It examined how well these precise treatments work across different types of cancer.
In the past, doctors often used a measure called progression-free survival to judge whether a treatment was working. This measure looks at how long a patient lives before the cancer gets worse.
However, the researchers found that this measure does not fully capture the benefits of targeted treatments like MDT. For example, these treatments can remove small metastases and delay the need for more aggressive therapies, which is very important for patients.
To address this problem, the expert group introduced two new ways to measure treatment success. The first is called STFS, which stands for Start or Switch of Systemic Therapy–Free Survival.
This measures how long a patient can go without needing to start or change drug treatments such as chemotherapy. The second is called pPFS, or polymetastatic progression-free survival. This tracks how long it takes before the cancer spreads widely throughout the body.
These new measures are important because they reflect how patients actually experience treatment. For many people, delaying strong drug treatments and avoiding side effects can greatly improve quality of life.
The new approach also recognizes that metastases can be treated more than once. For example, if one tumor is removed and another appears later, doctors can treat it again.
The researchers believe this marks a major shift in cancer research. By focusing on patient-centered outcomes, future studies can better show the real benefits of modern treatments. This may also help doctors make better decisions about when to use different therapies.
However, more research is still needed. These new measures must be tested in future clinical trials to confirm their usefulness. Even so, the study provides a strong foundation for improving cancer care.
In conclusion, this research represents an important step forward in how cancer treatments are evaluated. By moving away from older measures and focusing on patient experience, doctors can better understand what works.
The findings suggest that precise treatments for limited metastases can offer meaningful benefits, especially when measured in ways that reflect real life. This approach could lead to more personalized care and better outcomes for patients.
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Source: MedUni Vienna.
