Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can be devastating, leaving the patient – and their loved ones – with more questions than answers. For more aggressive cancers, there can be a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. For anyone facing such a diagnosis, the options for treatment may be confusing, frightening or complex. But a new revolutionary treatment – CyberKnife – is offering hope where previously there may have been none. Here is more about how the Beam of Life™ helps cancer patients.
The Beam of Life™, the Ray of Hope
CyberKnife is an FDA-approved, non-invasive treatment option that enables radiation oncologists to deliver targeted, high doses of radiation to a broad range of cancerous and non-cancerous tumors throughout the body.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION SOME 30 YEARS AGO, CYBERKNIFE HAS BEEN USED TO TREAT MORE THAN 150,000 PATIENTS WORLDWIDE. MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HELPED BY CYBERKNIFE WERE DIAGNOSED WITH INCREDIBLY COMPLEX TUMORS OR HAD BEEN TOLD THEIR TUMORS WERE INOPERABLE. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF ITS MISSILE-GUIDED RADIATION TECHNOLOGY, CYBERKNIFE WAS ABLE TO TARGET TUMORS WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY, DELIVERING RADIATION DIRECTLY TO THE TUMOR WHILE LEAVING HEALTHY SURROUNDING TISSUE UNTOUCHED. BECAUSE OF THIS, CYBERKNIFE HAS ASTONISHING CLINICAL ACCURACY THAT IS PRECISE ENOUGH THAT RADIATION CAN BE MATCHED TO THE SHAPE OF SMALL, COMPLEX TUMORS LOCATED NEAR CRITICAL STRUCTURES.
The benefits of CyberKnife
The irony of many cancer therapies is that, while they are working to heal you, they also can present harsh and extreme side effects. However, CyberKnife is not painful. No incisions are required, nor will you need any anesthesia. No hospitalization is required, and there is little to no recovery time after treatments. Many patients report heading back to work or school immediately after receiving treatment. Expect no scarring, no hair loss, and very little if any nausea. How can this be? The reason is simple: because CyberKnife is considered radiosurgery, it is not a “real” surgical procedure, therefore risks and complications associated with surgery are non-existent. Treatments are completed in a short series of 30- to 90-minutes sessions, compared to the dozens of sessions over a long period of time that is otherwise a part of conventional radiation treatments. Plus, the entire process is overseen by highly trained radiation oncologists, surgeons, medical physicists, and radiation therapists who are there to guide you, make you feel comfortable, and answer any and all questions.
What does CyberKnife treat?
CyberKnife is proven to treat lesions that may have otherwise been considered inoperable or untreatable with other radiosurgery systems. CyberKnife has effectively treated many different types of cancers, including:
- Primary cancers of the brain, spinal cord, lung, liver, pancreas, breast, ovarian, and prostate.
- Metastatic cancers that have spread to other areas of the body such as the brain, spine, lung, liver, and lymph nodes.
- Vascular malformations such arteriovenous malformations.
- Previously treated cancers.
- Benign tumors such as acoustic neuromas, pituitary adenomas, cavernous angiomas, and meningiomas.
Is CyberKnife right for you?
Unlike many other cancer treatments, CyberKnife therapy can be effective for nearly everyone, even people are considered medically frail. In particular, CyberKnife has proven successful for those who have been told their condition may be inoperable. For many traditional treatment are considered too invasive; CyberKnife is a good alternative for those who want or need an alternative to traditional open surgery, or for those who do not want to undergo additional surgical procedures. CyberKnife is excellent for those who have received the maximum allowable dose of radiation. Plus, patients can receive radiosurgery treatment as adjunct therapy to traditional oncology care
If you or a loved one have cancer, you owe it to yourself to know the Beam of Life™. The board-certified physicians at CyberKnife Center of Miami offer this revolutionary treatment to help restore you back to health. To make an appointment, give us a call at our center in Miami at (800) 204-0455 or contact us online.