To report the feasibility, efficacy, and toxicity of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for the treatment of portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) and/or inferior vena cava tumor thrombosis (IVCTT) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Forty-one patients treated with SBRT using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for HCC with PVTT/IVCTT between July 2010 and May 2012 were analyzed. Of these, 33 had PVTT and 8 had IVCTT. SBRT was designed to target the tumor thrombosis and deliver a median total dose of 36 Gy (range, 30–48 Gy) in six fractions during two weeks.

The median follow-up was 10.0 months. At the time of analysis, 15 (36.6%) achieved complete response, 16 (39.0%) achieved partial response, 7 (17.1%) patients were stable, and three (7.3%) patients showed progressive disease. No treatment-related Grade 4/5 toxicity was seen within three months after SBRT. One patient had Grade 3 elevation of bilirubin. The one-year overall survival rate was 50.3%, with a median survival of 13.0 months. The only independent predictive factor associated with better survival was response to radiotherapy.

VMAT-based SBRT is a safe and effective treatment option for PVTT/IVCTT in HCC. Prospective randomized controlled trials are warranted to validate the role of SBRT in these patients.