Prostate Cancer CyberKnife® VSI™ Robotic Radiosurgery System
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The CyberKnife® VSI™ Robotic Radiosurgery System enables our radiation oncologists to destroy difficult-to-reach tumors in the prostate with high doses of precisely directed radiation, rather than with open surgery.
CyberKnife provides a pain-free, minimally invasive option for prostate cancer patients who are unable to undergo surgery, or who do not want surgery.
How Does CyberKnife Treat Prostate Cancer?
Prior to the procedure, three to five fiducials (tiny seeds) are inserted into the prostate 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 prostate. 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, targeting radiation to the tumor from various angles while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
The system’s sophisticated software allows us to track the prostate tumor and continually adjust the radiation treatment to account for patient or tumor movement.
CyberKnife treatment for prostate cancer is typically completed in four to five sessions, depending on the location of the tumor and other factors.
Advantages of Cyberknife for Prostate Cancer
CyberKnife provides a pain-free, non-surgical option for patients who have inoperable or surgically complex tumors, or who may be looking for an alternative to surgery for prostate cancer.
During radiation therapy treatment, sometimes the prostate can move as air passes through the rectum and as the bladder empties and fills. The Cyberknife is able to continually identify the location of the prostate, and make any correction for movement. This can help to spare some of the surrounding healthy tissue during treatment.
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.
The following are the potential benefits of treating prostate cancer with the CyberKnife VSI System:
- 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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