There was a time not too long ago when a cancer diagnosis meant patients were forced to undergo painful, debilitating surgery to have even a hope of recovery, much less long-term survival.
Today, with the latest advances in minimally invasive cancer treatments, patients can defeat cancer without the trauma, scarring, possible infection, and lengthy recovery period associated with a major surgical procedure. Thanks to minimally invasive treatment options, patients require less chemotherapy and radiation, shorter hospital stays, a swifter recovery, and less need for reconstructive surgery (if any is needed).
Take, for example, the revolutionary CyberKnife® System, a noninvasive, painless radiation treatment that, in many cases, is an alternative to traditional “open” surgery. Despite its name, CyberKnife technology has nothing to do with cutting to remove a cancerous tumor. Rather, CyberKnife uses image-guided robotics to precisely target and destroy tumors and other lesions with multiple beams of high-energy radiation.
Thanks to CyberKnife’s remarkable, pinpoint accuracy, it delivers radiation directly to the tumor, while leaving healthy, surrounding organs and tissues untouched. In fact, it is so precise that it can track the tumor even when a patient moves or breathes. This ability enables CyberKnife to treat many lesions that might otherwise be considered inoperable or untreatable with other radiosurgery systems, providing patients with new hope and a new lease on life.
CyberKnife robotic radiosurgery is based on radiation technology that has been in use and well-proven for more than three decades. In that time, more than 150,000 patients worldwide have received CyberKnife treatment, and numerous clinical studies have been published in medical journals confirming that CyberKnife effectively treats:
- Primary cancers, including those of the lung, liver, prostate, brain, pancreas, and spinal cord
- Metastatic cancers (those that have spread to other areas of the body, including the brain, spine, liver, lung, and lymph nodes)
- Recurring cancers in previously treated areas
- Benign tumors like meningiomas, acoustic neuromas, pituitary adenomas, and cavernous angiomas
The CyberKnife system has many benefits compared to surgical and even minimally invasive cancer treatments. It does not require anesthesia and there is no downtime or hospitalization. All a patient needs to do during the procedure is lie down and relax while CyberKnife treats the tumor or lesion.
Also, there are few, if any, minor side effects with CyberKnife. Although your condition may make you prone to fatigue or mild nausea, you will experience none of the unpleasant effects that are common with conventional radiation therapy.
Plus, your CyberKnife treatment is completed in just one to five, 30- to 90-minutes sessions compared to the countless, physically-draining sessions over a period of weeks or months that are required with conventional radiation treatments.
Of course, not everyone is a candidate for an image-guided robotic radiosurgery treatment. However, a CyberKnife-trained physician like those at the CyberKnife Center of Miami can determine if your condition can be treated using this innovative system and if so, accommodate your needs promptly and with the highest quality care.
To learn more about the CyberKnife System and how it can help restore your health without surgery, contact the dedicated staff at the CyberKnife Center of Miami today at (800) 204-0455 or (305) 279-2900 or fill out our online form to request an appointment.