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“When I got the worst possible news of my life, I got the best possible experience.”
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“When I got the worst possible news of my life, I got the best possible experience.”
– Claude
CyberKnife Radiosurgery
The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System is a non-invasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors anywhere in the body, including the prostate, lung, brain, spine, liver, pancreas and kidney. The treatment – which delivers beams of high dose radiation to tumors with extreme accuracy – offers new hope to patients worldwide.
Though its name may conjure images of scalpels and surgery, the CyberKnife treatment involves no cutting. In fact, the CyberKnife System is the world’s first and only robotic radiosurgery system designed to treat tumors throughout the body non-invasively. It provides a pain-free, non-surgical option for patients who have inoperable or surgically complex tumors, or who may be looking for an alternative to surgery.
We surround you with a team of experts for your CyberKnife treatment. In addition to your radiation oncologist, your team may include your surgeon, medical oncologist, physicist, dosimetrist, nurse and radiation therapist.
Your doctor will explain the risks and benefits of CyberKnife Radiosurgery. Sign up for My Healing Plan to learn more about the treatment plan your doctor has prescribed for you.
What to expect
If you are undergoing CyberKnife treatment for a spinal or body (non-head) lesion, you may need a short outpatient procedure to implant several small metal markers (fiducials) near the tumor. These fiducials enable the CyberKnife System to track your tumor position throughout treatment. Lesions in the head do not require this step.
For head/neck treatments, a custom soft mask or body mold is formed and used to minimize movement during the treatment and ensure your comfort. The process is painless and simple.
A CT scan is performed. Your doctors use the scan to identify the exact size, shape and location of the tumor along with the surrounding vital structures to be avoided. The CT data is downloaded to the CyberKnife treatment planning computer. Your doctors will use advanced software to customize the number, intensity and direction of radiation beams the robot will send to the target. You do not need to be present during this step.
After reviewing your CT scan, you will be asked to lie on the treatment table and will be fitted with the custom mask or body mold made earlier during the set-up process. Generally, no sedation or anesthesia is required because the treatment is painless.
During treatment, you will need to lie still. You will be awake throughout the entire procedure, which typically lasts 30-90 minutes depending on the complexity of your tumor. The image guidance system periodically takes x-ray images and compares them to data from the CT scan to ensure the radiation is targeted accurately to the tumor. If you are undergoing single-session CyberKnife treatment, your treatment is complete. If your doctor prescribes a “hypo-fractionated” or staged treatment, you will need to return for additional daily treatments.
