SBRT (radiation) for lung cancer: What's your experience?

I had 3 nodules in my right lung treated with SBRT in December ‘23. I was followed up every 3mo and they shrunk up and showed no definitive signs of active cancer. In July ‘25 I had symptoms similar to passing a kidney stone so went to dr. After his work up, my scan and blood work showed that the cancer was back in my lung and had metastasized to my liver and bones from my pelvis thru my spine to my clavicles. We’ve immediately started radiation than chemo And now immunotherapy ( keytrudra ) for the foreseeable future. I believe that the immunotherapy should have been done following my first SBRT treatment in ‘23 and perhaps the cancer may not have returned. I wonder sometimes is that decision is made by physicians, protocols or insurance providers.

I initially had two tumors, one in each lung.
The first round of radiation was in a larger tumor in my right lung and was five days a week for six weeks along with chemotherapy.
The first SBRT was on the second, smaller, tumor in my left lung.
The second SBRT was in a third small tumor, which apparently formed while I was going through the initial treatments. At that time they did not confirm that this was malignant, but since it was new and near the larger tumor in my right lung, they suggested doing a round of SBRT. I agreed to do this, as a precautionary measure rather than go through the risk of another biopsy.
I had a scan with contrast a few weeks ago, and there is no sign of malignancy in the 2 tumors which had the SBRT treatment and both have reduced in size.
Also, the larger tumor in my right lung no longer shows any cancer.
My next scan will be in four months.
So this is a long answer to your question. I do believe that SBRT has a very high success rate. So far, I have proof of this.

I’ve had SBRT for 2 different stage 1 lung cancer’s in my right lung, one in 2017 and one in 2020. It does not hurt. The first one worked but the second one came back 4 years later. Presently having bronchoscopy ablation to remove the recurring cancer.

@dave56pa I have had a similar experience. In 2020 cancer nodule treated with SBRT. Good every 3 months. Then in 2025 came back along with kidney cancer. Not sure yet if the two are related. I think the lung cancer was caused by the radiation for breast cancer in 2008. I’m so over this ride.

@nancyg25 hi thank you for your comment...what is a bronchoscopy ablation?

@trfb Thanks so much for sharing. rlf66

@pinsi, "Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that destroys tumor tissue by either heat or cooling mechanisms. This process has been well established in liver tumors and kidney tumors, and experts in Mayo Clinic's lung ablation specialty group are investigating its use in lung tumors."

You can read more about Mayo's Lung Ablation Specialty Group here:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/lung-ablation-specialty-group/overview/ovc-20474875
@nancyg25 can share more about her personal experience with the procedure and what it is like.

I could be wrong, but I think it’s for stages one and two. I had 5 rounds and was diagnosed with stage 1.