CTC study shows radiotherapy controls lung cancer for longer
Results from a CTC-coordinated study have shown that adding a targeted radiotherapy to standard treatment could help stop advanced lung cancer from spreading further.
The findings from the SARON trial focused on treatment for people with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) which has spread beyond the lungs, but only to a small number of other sites in the body.
SARON was presented this weekend at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2026 in Madrid by chief investigator Dr Fiona McDonald, a consultant thoracic clinical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
After a median follow-up period of 37.4 months, researchers observed that for patients who received radiotherapy, their cancer did not progress for an average of 13.9 months, a 56 per cent increase when compared to the average of 8.9 months experienced by those receiving the standard of care systemic treatment alone.
Julie Moran, 69, from Buckinghamshire, a former senior cardiac technician, contracted COVID during lockdown in March 2020. After experiencing long COVID symptoms, she had a CT scan in September 2020 at a local hospital which led to a diagnosis of lung cancer. She was subsequently referred to The Royal Marsden for treatment, where she enrolled on the SARON trial. She said: “The staff at The Royal Marsden were superb and they made sure I knew what my options were and exactly what to expect. After joining the trial, I received immunotherapy followed by radiotherapy. The treatment worked remarkably well and, six years later, I’m still stable. I was able to return to work and, now I’m retired, I get to spend lots more time with my grandchildren and great-grandchild.”
Dr McDonald said: “Until now, there has been limited randomised evidence about the benefits of adding radiotherapy to the standard of care systemic treatment for patients with oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The SARON trial has provided important data in this context, demonstrating a significant improvement in progression-free survival without compromising quality of life. It is an exemplar of national collaboration, and these types of studies are crucial for informing personalised treatment approaches for patients.”
Elsewhere at ESMO, the CTC's RODEO study was featured as a poster presentation. RODEO is testing whether treatment before surgery for advanced womb cancer patients can help the body's immune system recognise and attack the cancer more effectively.