Stereotactic and Precision Radiotherapy Group
The group is developing techniques and trials aimed at improving outcomes for cancer patients and reducing treatment-related toxicities, in both radical and palliative radiotherapy.
Our group's main research focus is stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) with our most significant academic achievement to date has been the conception, development and launching of the PACE trial.
The group's main research focus is stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). We were the first centre in the UK to develop protocols for treating prostate cancer and oligo-metastases.
Our most significant academic achievement to date has been the conception, development and launching of the PACE trial. It is a phase III international randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing SBRT to both surgery (PACE A) and conventional image-guided radiotherapy (PACE B). PACE B completed recruitment in January 2018 with 874 patients (4 months ahead of target). It is the largest trial comparing SBRT to conventional treatment in the world. The study involves 26 centres in the UK, 9 in Canada and 2 in Ireland. PACE A continues to recruit and to date 99 patients have been recruited from 8 centres.
I recently presented the acute toxicity of PACE B in a plenary oral presentation at GUASCO. If the trial is positive in will change radiotherapy practice for prostate cancer in the UK, and have a significant cost saving for the NHS.
Professor Nicholas van As
Associate Honorary Faculty:
Stereotactic and Precision Radiotherapy
Professor Nicholas van As is clinical lead for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) at The Royal Marsden, Co-Chair of the UK SBRT consortium and the national clinical lead for NHS England’s Commissioning Through Evaluation programme for SBRT. He is running a number of clinical trials evaluating SBRT.
