What is an acceptable distance between tumor and heart or aorta to treat a non-small cell lung cancer with SBRT?   

I will echo @Jeffrey D. Bradley's answer. Having used 50 Gy in 5 fractions now for over 10 years at the Cleveland Clinic, we have not identified cardiac or great vessel specific toxicities for the close to 400 patients we have treated with this schedule. Specifically in compiling our data registry, ...

This is still an open question, of course. I've been using 10 Gy x 5 fractions for these cases. We have a longstanding central lung cancer SBRT protocol that's been ongoing for several years that supports the safety and efficacy of that dose. We don't yet know if a higher dose (or BED) will improve ...

I was asked to update my earlier comments from 2015 on how to approach the issue of lung SBRT for tumors that are in proximity to cardiac or great vessel structures. I see that @Jeffrey D. Bradley has provided an updated response as well and with which, similar to my response to his 2015 commen...

Don't forget the European data published by Haasbeek, et al in J Thoracic Incol. Also the Red J discussion last year "how to fly in the no fly zone"