Advanced radiosurgery technology utilized by Cyberknife for effective cancer treatment

Sep 17 2009

Cyberknife of Long Island has become the first cancer center in New York to treat tumors with the most advanced radiosurgery technology available to date. The newest generation of the Cyberknife Radiosurgery System by Accuray offers unprecedented capabilities and renewed hope to cancer patients. "Cyberknife of Long Island is proud to continue delivering on its promise to provide the highest quality, most advanced cancer treatment in the region with the addition of the CyberKnife Radiosurgery System," said Jeffrey Musmacher, Chief Operating Officer at North Shore Radiation Therapy, the parent company of Cyberknife of Long Island. "With this new image-guided robotic technology, we are able to treat those whose tumors were previously thought to be inoperable and untreatable."

North Shore Radiation Therapy has installed the most-advanced version of the system in their New York office located in Smithtown.

"This technology will offer a new treatment option that revolutionizes cancer treatment in the region," said Richard Byrnes, MD, the center’s Medical Director. "The advanced technology behind CyberKnife uses real time image guidance technology and computer controlled robotics to deliver an extremely precise dose of radiation to the tumor, avoiding the surrounding healthy tissue and adjusting for patient and tumor movement during treatment."

"The procedure requires no anesthesia, as the treatment is painless and non-invasive." said Maged Ghaly, MD, a Radiation Oncologist at Cyberknife of Long Island. “The machine's robotic arm works continually with image guided technology and has the ability to move in three dimensions according to the treatment plan.”

The radiation therapy treatment has a higher rate of success with small tumors, and generally lasts between 30 to 90 minutes involving administration of 100-200 radiation beams delivered from different directions each lasting 10 to 15 seconds.

"Other stereotactic systems, such as the Gamma Knife, treat only the brain and require that the patient be fitted with a rigid frame screwed into the skull. The Cyberknife Radiosurgery System uses a frameless system, and can treat tumors throughout the body with a accuracy of less than 0.5 millimeters” said Heather Zinkin, MD, Radiation Oncologist.

This treatment can also successfully treat lung cancers and other cancers that are in areas that move involuntarily - like in the respiratory or digestive system. "These radiation therapy treatments are out-patient procedures, ranging from five to as little as one visit, allowing patients to continue their normal activities," Ghaly said.

http://www.cancer-radiation.com/