Background/objectives: Renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for approximately 4% of all solid tumours worldwide. Oligometastatic RCC, frequently defined as the presence of fewer than five metastatic lesions, is increasingly recognised as a clinically and prognostically distinct disease state, yet standardised treatment algorithms remain lacking. Method: This narrative review summarises current local and systemic treatment strategies for oligometastatic RCC and identifies patient populations most likely to benefit based on 26 studies published within the past ten years. Results: Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) was the most frequently evaluated local modality, consistently demonstrating high local control rates with favourable toxicity profiles. Systemic therapies showed mixed efficacy and greater treatment-related adverse events, while evidence for radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation, and metastasectomy remains limited but suggests feasibility in selected patients. Conclusions: Overall, current evidence supports local therapy-particularly SABR-in appropriately selected patients with oligometastatic RCC, though most available evidence is retrospective and concentrated in favourable-risk ccRCC populations, limiting generalizability. Further prospective research is needed to refine patient selection criteria and optimise treatment sequencing.
Cancers. 2026 Jun 16*** epublish ***
Calliope Stavrou, Monica Thet, Kieran Sandhu, Shankar Siva, Cristian Udovicich, Nathan Lawrentschuk, Marlon Perera
Department of Urology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3050, Australia., Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia., Department of Radiation Oncology, GenesisCare, Melbourne, VIC 3065, Australia.