Project 461060

Background: Oligometastatic disease refers to a state where cancer has spread beyond the site of origin but is not widely metastatic (defined variably between 1-5 metastases). In this state, it is hypothesized that eradication of all sites of disease using surgery or ablative radiotherapy (RT) techniques could result in long-term survival, and potentially cure. Stereotactic ablative RT (SABR) is one such technique that is gaining wider use. However, SABR is more resource-intensive than standard palliative RT, and there is a lack of level 1 evidence to support adoption of SABR into routine practice. The principal applicants are leading several high-profile international phase III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine efficacy, safety, toxicity, and the cost-effectiveness of SABR; however, data from these trials will not be available until, at the earliest, 2025. Further RCTs enabling patients to access SABR in a structured setting are needed post accrual while awaiting results, while also answering important new questions. This presents an opportunity for Canada to continue to lead investigations and global practice changing research in this new treatment paradigm for patients with oligometastases. Goal: Using a modified Delphi technique, we plan to leverage the first SABR Canada Conference in June 2022 to bring together national and international SABR experts to establish future oligometastatic cancer research directions, hypotheses and trials. Funds will be used for team member accommodations, meeting venue costs, and research assistant wages to support grant planning activities. Anticipated Outcomes: This planning grant will enable our team to 1) establish SABR research directions and priorities, and 2) select 2-3 research hypotheses to develop into RCTs for applications to the 2023 CIHR Project Grant competition, and other funding organizations.