CyberKnife Knifeless Surgery

CyberKnife® Technology Offers "Knifeless" Surgery Anywhere in the Body

Baptist Cancer Services includes the CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System in its arsenal of highly advanced treatment options for cancer patients. The CyberKnife allows physicians at Baptist to treat both cancerous and noncancerous tumors anywhere in the body where radiation therapy is needed, including the pancreas, lungs, brain and other areas that in many cases are inoperable.

The CyberKnife is the only FDA-approved completely robotic stereotactic radiosurgery system available that targets and destroys tumors and lesions anywhere in the body.

What Cancers Can It Treat?

The system may be used to treat the following cancers:

• Malignant tumors: Astrocytomas, Gliomas, Skull base tumors, Metastases (brain and bony), Nasopharyngeal carcinomas
• Benign tumors: Meningiomas, Acoustic neuromas, Schwannomas, Pituitary adenomas, Hemangioblastomas, Craniopharyngiomas, Other benign tumors
• Extracranial Tumors and Lesions: Base of skull, Neck, Cervical Spine, Thoracic Spine, Lumbar Spine, Pancreas, Liver, Lungs, Other lesions, tumors, and conditions anywhere in the body

How Does It Work?

The CyberKnife is a highly advanced system that delivers super-concentrated radiation with precision so great it could split the point of a pin. The CyberKnife can be used to treat tumors anywhere in the body without damaging surrounding tissue.

The CyberKnife combines two systems: a compact, lightweight linear accelerator mounted on a robotic arm that sends the radiation to the patient; and an image guidance system that tracks the tumor's location in real time to direct the radiation to the precise location where it is needed.

The guidance system uses the patient's skeletal structure as a point of reference. During treatment, a patient's tumor is usually given several doses of radiation. The CyberKnife's guidance system takes new images of the tumor's location before each dose is delivered. In fact, it is the only system that monitors and tracks tumor position continually during treatment.

The robotic arm that delivers the radiation is so maneuverable that physicians can position it in multiple angles. This means they can use it to treat tumors and other lesions anywhere in the body without open surgery, including some that were previously untreatable. Following treatment, the patient goes home, with no need for recovery time.

Advantages for the Patient

Other available radiosurgery systems for "knifeless" surgery have limitations the CyberKnife has overcome:

Learn more-and see video-about the CyberKnife at the following websites:

Manufacturer of the CyberKnife: www.accuray.com

CyberKnife Patient Support Group: www.cyberknife.com

See the CyberKnife in Action

Become a Patient at Baptist

If you would like to become a CyberKnife patient at Baptist, you can contact us online to start the process. Use the Becoming a Patient link.