Phase II trial of stereotactic body radiation therapy on adrenal gland metastases: evaluation of efficacy and impact on hormonal production

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess prospectively the efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for adrenal gland metastasis, with a focus on the assessment of the irradiated subjects’ endocrinological function. Materials and methods A total of 36 patients were enrolled from 2017 to 2020 in this prospective phase II trial. Patients were treated with Linac-based SBRT, with a dose of 45 Gy in 3 consecutive fractions. Primary end-point was local control (LC) of the treated lesions and secondary end-points included evaluation of acute and late toxicity, progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and the impact on the hormonal production of adrenal glands. Results With a median follow-up of 9.5 months, LC rates at 1 and 2 years were 94.7% and 88.4%, respectively. Rates of PFS at 1 and 2 years were 50.5% and 29.8%, with a median PFS of 14.7 months. Rates of OS at 1 and 2 years were 62.9% and 44.1%. At univariate analysis, oligorecurrence was associated with better OS compared to oligoprogressive or synchronous metastatic disease. No grade 3 or greater toxicities were registered and only a minority of patients (22.2%) reported mild treatment-related side effects. Hormonal and electrolytes production was assessed before and after treatment, showing only a slight and transient variation within the reference ranges. Conclusion SBRT on adrenal metastases has been confirmed to be a feasible and effective treatment. With an excellent disease control and the preservation of the endocrine function, SBRT with ablative dose can be considered a viable alternative to more invasive approaches.