When you hear the words “cyber” and “knife” your imagination may conjure up all sorts of images. For example: Scalpels or surgical tools being somehow controlled by a robotic doctor. And while that may make an excellent plot for a Sci-Fi movie, that’s not reality.
The experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami – the first and only state-of-the art, free-standing CyberKnife treatment center in the Southeastern United States – want to reframe how you think about CyberKnife and eliminate any fears about CyberKnife as a treatment for certain cancerous and non-cancerous tumors.
The reality is — CyberKnife is a kinder, more gentle, effective radiation treatment. CyberKnife is the “first and only fully robotic radiotherapy device.” It uses what is called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to deliver precise and accurate doses of radiation directly to the tumor, while leaving healthy tissue unharmed. And it does it all in real-time. There is no cutting. No incision. No blood. No pain.
So why the name CyberKnife?
CyberKnife was invented at Stanford University by a neurosurgeon Dr. John Adler and first hit the medical world in 1994 – marking a complete breakthrough in radiation medicine. It was a time when technology included fax machines, floppy disks, internet dial-up and cassette tapes. It was before DVDs, Amazon, and wide usage of cellphones.
So, if you think about it, the name CyberKnife was revolutionary and future forward at its inception.
“The CyberKnife System was meticulously designed, using a combination of robotics, computer science, medical physics, and imaging. The result was a device that combined exquisite precision and accuracy with image-guidance, offering a non-invasive, versatile approach to radiation therapy,” according to Accuray, the maker of CyberKnife.
Since that time, the CyberKnife System has gotten even better and now includes real-time motion synchronization, meaning CyberKnife moves as the patient breathes to stay focused on the tumor.
In other words, “the CyberKnife System excels in motion adaptation, ensuring precise treatment even in the face of anatomic movement,” Accuray says.
And CyberKnife has continued to innovate and lead in the field of radiation treatments for cancer. So maybe in your mind you can now think of CyberKnife as an invisible, powerful precise laser that “cuts out” tumors. The CyberKnife uses powerful, precise beams of radiation to destroy and kill tumors, basically cutting them out or getting rid of them without a scalpel, surgery, incisions, anesthesia, and any risk of infection,
That all points to the fact that CyberKnife is powerful cancer-fighting technology that is kinder and easier on the body than surgery – making it a win-win for patients.
Cancer Treatment Miami
Since being introduced CyberKnife has been used to treat hundreds of thousands of patients around the world and right here in South Florida at CyberKnife Miami. We opened our doors in 2003, becoming only the 11th CyberKnife center in the United States.
CyberKnife can be used to treat tumors throughout the body — specifically in the brain, lung, prostate, spine, lymph nodes, kidney, and pancreas. It can also be an alternative to surgery for patients who may not be surgical candidates or who may have complex tumors that cannot be surgically removed.
Here are a few other benefits of cancer treatment with CyberKnife:
- Excellent control of tumors
- Lower risk of damage to healthy tissue
- Better quality of life while undergoing treatment
- Fewer treatments than with traditional radiation
- Most areas of the body can receive multiple treatments with CyberKnife, and areas can be retreated.
If you are interested in learning more about CyberKnife treatments call CyberKnife Miami at 305-279-2900 or go to our website www.cyberknifemiami.com.