Pancreatic Cancer CyberKnife® VSI™ Robotic Radiosurgery System
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Robotic Radiosurgery for Pancreatic Cancer
The CyberKnife® VSI™ Robotic Radiosurgery System enables our radiation oncologists to destroy difficult-to-reach tumors in the pancreas with high doses of precisely-directed radiation, rather than with open surgery.
CyberKnife provides a pain-free, minimally-invasive option for pancreatic cancer patients who are unable to undergo pancreatic surgery, or who do not want surgery.
How Does CyberKnife Treat Pancreatic Cancer?
Prior to the procedure, three to five fiducials (tiny seeds) are inserted into the pancreatic tumor. The CyberKnife System uses these markers as reference points to identify the exact location of the tumor during treatment.
A high-resolution CT scan then determines the size, shape and location of the tumor in the pancreas. The image data is then digitally transferred to the CyberKnife System’s workstation, where we precisely plan treatment to match the desired radiation dose to the exact tumor location.
Once treatment planning is complete, the patient is comfortably positioned on a cushioned table and the system’s computer-controlled robot slowly moves around the table, delivering precisely-directed radiation to the pancreatic tumor from various angles.
CyberKnife treatment for pancreatic cancer is typically completed in four to five sessions, depending on the location of the tumor and other factors.
Advantages of CyberKnife for Pancreatic Cancer
A tumor in or near the pancreas can move as you breathe, making it difficult to accurately target with standard radiation. As a result, the tumor may not receive enough radiation and healthy tissue near the tumor may be damaged.
CyberKnife’s sophisticated software and respiratory tracking system allows us to confirm the location of the pancreatic tumor and continually track its movement, in real time, so we can precisely deliver radiation without damaging healthy surrounding tissue.
Also, unlike standard radiation therapy in which the total radiation dose is divided into smaller doses over numerous sessions, CyberKnife allows us to destroy tumors with high radiation doses in one to five sessions.
Potential advantages of CyberKnife for pancreatic cancer patients include:
- Sophisticated treatment planning software
- Real time tracking of tumor movement
- Less damage to surrounding healthy tissue
- Greater comfort during treatment
- Shorter treatment times
- Faster return to normal activities
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