While CyberKnife, a form of stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT, is primarily used to treat cancer and shrink tumors it can also be used to treat pain associated with tumors and certain types of nerve pain.
Its image-guided robotic technology, which delivers targeted high-dose radiation in fewer sessions than with traditional radiation, can reduce pain from spinal metastases and trigeminal neuralgia, a facial nerve disorder of the trigeminal nerve.
CyberKnife for Bone Pain
According to one study, CyberKnife helped relieve pain in 88% of lesions. Complete relief was achieved seven days after the start of treatment in 51% of patients and lasted a median range of three months. Pain even disappeared in 27% of patients.
According to another study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, one dose of CyberKnife is more effective at controlling and easing pain from metastatic bone cancer than 10 sessions with multi-fractional radiotherapy (MFRT) – a form of radiation delivering smaller doses of radiation over a period of days or weeks.
“Delivering high-dose, single-fraction SBRT seems to be an effective treatment option for patients with painful bone metastases. Among evaluable patients, SBRT had higher rates of pain response (complete response + partial response) than did MFRT and thus should be considered for patients expected to have relatively long survival,” the study concluded.
CyberKnife for Nerve Pain
CyberKnife can also be used for trigeminal neuralgia – which can cause intense, sometimes constant pain.
Trigeminal neuralgia pain attacks can last only a few seconds, a few minutes, or much longer, and they’re often described as sudden, intense shock-like or stabbing pains on one side of the face. There can be burning, throbbing, aching or tingling between attacks, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The attacks can get worse over time. And while they typically occur in those over the age of 50, they can start at any age. More women tend to be affected than men.
Medications can help. So can complimentary treatments like meditation, acupuncture or biofeedback. But there is no guarantee.
CyberKnife can offer fast relief by delivering high doses of radiation directly to the trigeminal nerve to desensitize it.
“Patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia should always consider alternative options to surgery,” says Dr. Mark Pomper, medical director of the CyberKnife Center of Miami and board-certified radiation oncologist. “After trying medication, ask your doctor, is there a non-invasive treatment available?
Typically, patients need only one CyberKnife treatment. If the pain returns, a second treatment may be considered but we’ve been very successful with just one treatment.”
The largest prospective, single-institution study from Italy published in the journal Neurosurgery in 2018 found: “Pain relief was achieved in 93.5% of patients after a median delay of three weeks after treatment” with CyberKnife.
Nearly 75% of the patients in the study achieved pain relief after just one treatment.
These patients were able to decrease their pain medications and eventually stop using them. Of the patients in the study, 33 or 25% of patients underwent a second treatment with CyberKnife. And after that treatment they achieved pain relief.
CyberKnife is FDA approved for trigeminal neuralgia. Yet many of those with the condition aren’t aware this easy, simple treatment exists.
“I’m surprised at how long many of these patients have suffered before they are referred to a CyberKnife center for treatment. That’s why it’s so very important that we get this information out about CyberKnife as a non-invasive treatment option for trigeminal neuralgia,” says Dr. Pomper.
South Florida Cancer Treatment Center
Cyberknife Miami opened its doors 23 years ago and was the first Cyberknife center to open in the Southeast.
We treat patients with brain, lung, prostate, spine, head and neck, liver, kidney and pancreatic cancer as well as patients with trigeminal neuralgia and pain related to cancer.
CyberKnife Miami has helped thousands of patients with pain relief and can be done on its own or in combination with other therapies depending on the type of cancer or ailment.
If you would like to find out more about cancer and pain treatment with CyberKnife, call us at 305-279-2900 or go to our cancer website now for more information www.cyberknifemiami.com.