On the spectrum.

“Metastatic cancer exists on a spectrum that is defined by multiple factors that reflect disease virulence and pace of progression.” In 2022, most oncologists conceptualize some version of this paradigm. While the number of mets and trajectory of disease are clearly telling, this review by the OG radiobiology team who coined the term “oligometastatic” nearly three decades ago emphasizes the need to arm ourselves with additional molecular and biologic prognostic tools such as circulating tumor DNA and pathogenic germline mutations. They’re also back to coin the term “micro-oligometastatic disease,” which essentially is what has always been treated with any adjuvant therapy and may prove to become a shrinking concept with more sophisticated advanced targeted imaging techniques. | Turchan, Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2022