Here’s a simple explanation to that question which we’re asked often: CyberKnife technology, also known as radiosurgery is a very special form of radiation therapy that delivers high doses of radiation beams with extreme accuracy to treat tumors and a wide range of medical conditions.
Radiosurgery is used to treat benign and cancerous tumors of the brain, spine, lungs, liver, and prostate, as well as non-cancerous conditions such as arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and trigeminal neuralgia.
One of the most advanced radiosurgery systems available today is the CyberKnife. This cutting-edge system combines advanced imaging technology with a robotic arm that delivers high doses of radiation to tumors with sub-millimeter accuracy.
The CyberKnife can treat tumors anywhere in the body, including the brain, spine, lungs, liver, pancreas, and prostate. The system uses real-time imaging to track the position of the tumor and automatically adjusts the radiation beam to ensure that the tumor receives the correct lethal dose of radiation.
One of the key advantages of CyberKnife is its precision. The system can deliver high doses of radiation with extreme accuracy, which minimizes damage to surrounding healthy tissue. This precision also allows the CyberKnife to treat tumors that may be difficult to access with traditional surgery, such as tumors located deep in the brain or spine. All this is accomplished without any pain, as this technology is frameless, and does not need a frame to be fixed onto the head.
Benign tumors – are non-cancerous growths that can occur in various parts of the body, including the brain, spine, and lungs. While these tumors are typically not life-threatening, they can cause significant discomfort and affect a person’s quality of life. Traditional surgery can be effective in removing benign tumors, but it can also be invasive and involve significant recovery time. CyberKnife offers a non-invasive alternative that delivers a high dose of radiation to the tumor with extreme accuracy, destroying the tumor cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The compelling reason to avoid traditional surgery is also when the tumor is small, which is when radiosurgery is most effective.
AVMs – are a rare condition that occurs when there is a malformation of the blood vessels in the brain or spinal cord. AVMs can cause a variety of symptoms, including headaches, seizures, and neurological deficits. Traditional surgery to remove an AVM can be risky and may involve significant recovery time. CyberKnife offers a safe and effective alternative, delivering a high dose of radiation to the AVM with extreme accuracy, leading to a gradual closure of the blood vessels.
Metastatic tumors – are tumors that have spread to other parts of the body from their original location. Metastasis is a common complication of many types of cancers, including breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Traditional treatments for metastatic tumors include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. CyberKnife offers a targeted approach to treating metastatic tumors, delivering a high dose of radiation to the tumor with extreme precision while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Another advantage of the CyberKnife is its non-invasive nature. Unlike traditional surgery, which requires incisions and can result in significant pain and recovery time, the CyberKnife does not require any incisions or anesthesia. Patients can typically return to their normal activities immediately after treatment, within MINUTES!
The CyberKnife also offers a number of other benefits compared to traditional radiation therapy. For example, the CyberKnife can deliver high doses of radiation in fewer sessions, which reduces the overall treatment time.
The system can also adjust the radiation beam to account for patient movement or changes in tumor size, which ensures that the tumor receives the correct dose of radiation and remains on target, sparing nearby vital organs and healthy tissue from being damaged.
Overall, the CyberKnife is a highly advanced and effective tool for treating a wide range of medical conditions. Its precision, non-invasive nature, and ability to deliver high doses of radiation with extreme accuracy make it an excellent choice for treating neuro and spine tumors, as well as other medical conditions.
If you or a loved one is facing a medical condition that may benefit from radiosurgery, be sure to speak with your doctor about CyberKnife and all your treatment options.
If they don’t tell you about CyberKnife, or say it’s not for you, or it won’t work for you, do your own research. Very often CyberKnife is an excellent choice and can help patients avoid painful surgery, without a long recovery. Because most patients require only 1-to-5 treatment sessions, instead of 35 or more with other types of radiation therapy, your cancer treatment is over and done with in much, much less time, and you maintain your quality of life while undergoing cancer treatment.
We treat you faster, more effectively and safer, with high success rates.
CyberKnife technology was FDA approved in 2001, and since has been used to treat hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide and is steadily gaining popularity among medical practitioners and patients, who are not only asking for it, but demanding it.
That said, it still is not widely available in cancer treatment centers across the country. Despite having high success rates, effectiveness and 100% safety, this technology remains underutilized.
However, residents of South Florida are lucky to have the CyberKnife Center of Miami.
CyberKnife Miami was the first free standing cancer treatment center to open its doors in 2003. Since then we have treated thousands of patients with CyberKnife technology.
We are the most experienced CyberKnife team in town and know first hand, it is a promising option for patients who require precise and non-invasive treatment for various types of tumors and cancers.
Because of our vast experience, we are asked to teach other centers and medical teams how to use CyberKnife to get the best results for their patients. Our experience also allows us to take on the most difficult cases. We know what will work and what won’t. We’ll let you know that up front. If CyberKnife is not the best treatment option for you, we will tell you, and we will help guide you to the best treatment option, again whether that is CyberKnife or not.
Our team is very compassionate and only wants the best for patients. It’s what they deserve.
You can reach our team of top cancer experts at 305-279-2900 and go to our website now to learn more about what we treat and how.
There are also lots of patient testimonials to listen to and see.
If you are not in our area, and don’t want to travel to Florida you can find a CyberKnife center near you on Accuray’s website, the manufacturer of CyberKnife.