MRI-Guided Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Early-Stage Kidney Cancer, the MRI-MARK Trial

This phase II trial investigates how well MRI-guided stereotactic body radiation therapy works in treating patients with early-stage kidney cancer. Radiation therapy uses high energy radiation to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Stereotactic body radiation therapy uses special equipment to position a patient and deliver radiation to tumors with high precision. This method may kill tumor cells with fewer doses over a shorter period and cause less damage to normal tissue. This method of radiation delivery is further refined through the incorporation of a MRI into the radiation machine to create a device known as a MRI linear accelerator. During treatment with MRI linear accelerator, continuous MRI images are obtained to allow for real-time treatment monitoring and the ability to adjust treatment plans if minor deviations in anatomy are noted. Giving MRI-guided stereotactic body radiation therapy may help treat patients with early-stage kidney cancer.