CyberKnife Treatments for Prostate Cancer
After lung cancer, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among American men. According to Cancer.org, about one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.
While prostate cancer can be serious, most men diagnosed with the disease do not die from it. Thanks to advances in screening and treatment, only about one out of every 41 men diagnosed with prostate cancer will die from it, while more than 3.1 million men in the U.S. have survived prostate cancer.
CyberKnife is a first-line treatment for early-stage prostate cancers that helps men survive the disease. The advantage of CyberKnife compared to other cancer treatments is that there is no incision, no pain and no downtime. It requires no anesthesia or hospitalization. You can return to your normal activities immediately after a treatment session, and there is no extended recovery period.
Most importantly, CyberKnife boasts high success rates. According to Image Technology News, the CyberKnife System produces 97 to 100 percent disease-free survival rates for low-risk patients and 88 to 97 percent survival rates for intermediate-risk patients. The data is based on a study published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, which observed patients five years after their CyberKnife treatment. The study also notes that these results were achieved with only four or five treatment sessions. You can learn about one of our own success stories.
What Will CyberKnife Treatment For Prostate Cancer Be Like?
CyberKnife treats cancer without surgery or pain. Guided by ultrasound imaging, your Radiation Oncologist will use needles to place gold fiducials (seeds) that act as markers into your prostate. The markers will allow the CyberKnife system to accurately track the tumor during your treatment session. To assess the size, shape, and location of the tumor, you will also undergo some imaging tests like MRI, CT scans and other technologies.
Your data is then sent to the CyberKnife computer, where its revolutionary software determines the number of treatments and proper dosage. You will return a week or two later for treatment. Typically, most men will need five treatments on consecutive days. Because CyberKnife is an outpatient procedure, you do not need to prepare anything.
Before the actual procedure, you will be placed in the proper position on the treatment table. The CyberKnife System has a robotic arm that will move around the table slowly. Using a combination of robotics and image guidance, the system delivers concentrated doses of radiation to your prostate. Because the prostate gland can move unpredictably due to normal bodily functions, CyberKnife was designed to adapt and synchronize treatment delivery in real-time. The duration of each session varies by patient, but it typically lasts between 30 and 90 minutes. Because it is non-invasive and non-surgical, you can continue with normal activity immediately after.
Watch a short video about Cyberknife treatment for Prostate Cancer.
At Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology, we provide the latest in prostate cancer treatment with radiation therapy. We are among the first in Florida to offer CyberKnife Radiosurgery treatment for prostate cancer, available at our Tampa and Brandon facilities.
Contact Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology today for more information about prostate cancer and prostate treatment options. More than a thousand men and women diagnosed with cancer each year turn to our trusted team of cancer specialists. We encourage you to call us at 850-610-3743, ask us a question, or consult with us to get a second opinion, so you too can experience the difference.