Cancer Treatment By State Of The Art CyberKnife
At Anadolu Medical Center we welcome the latest developments in medical technology. One of those is the most advanced form of radiosurgery, and currently one of the safer ways to treat tumors non-invasively: CyberKnife® technology.
Considered as a state-of-the-art cancer treatment designed to destroy tumors with minimum damage to surrounding tissue, CyberKnife® technology is available at Anadolu Medical Center since 2005 making it the fourth medical center in Europe to have acquired it. We have accumulated experience with hundreds of international patients from over 20 countries already.
CyberKnife® is the only radiosurgery system
to combine a linear accelerator, a robotic arm and image guidance system. With its unique precision, CyberKnife® can target lesions that are unreachable by more commonly used radiosurgery systems. With its painless and blood-free treatment application, CyberKnife® is faster than ever. Its treatment is much shorter than usual, by virtue of its increased dosage induction speed and technological advancement which tracks moving tumors in real time. CyberKnife® technology may avoid the need for invasive surgery and has become an interesting treatment option.
What are the stages of CyberKnife® treatment?
Our multidisciplinary teams evaluate every patient for CyberKnife® in accordance with medical protocols from various areas of expertise such as Radiation Oncology, Neurosurgery, General Surgery, and Urology. CyberKnife® treatment eligibility is evaluated by a multi-disciplinary working group that decides on a case by case basis.
The following stages of Cyberknife® treatment are usually concluded in a few days
Preparatory Stage
Preparations are made according to the involved body area. If a patient receives brain treatment, a thermoplastic mask is made to fit the patient's face and renewed CT images are scheduled. If prostate, pancreas, liver, lung or soft tissue tumors are targeted, three to six markers are inserted inside the target. An appropriate vacuum bed is also prepared for the patient in order to feel comfortable.
Planning Stage
Following the preparatory stage, the patient returns home. At that time, a plan is prepared to send the X-rays to the tumor in the most suitable way without harming surrounding tissue.
Doctors and medical physicists work hand in hand on the patient's radiological images to develop an optimal treatment plan that suits the patient best.
Implementation Stage
The patient's treatment starts on the day and at the time specified to the patient following his or her arrival at our CyberKnife® center. Treatment usually takes 30 minutes to two hours. Treatment might be implemented in two to five fractions. In such a case, a 24-hour interval (minimum) is allowed for each phase of the treatment. The patient may return home or to work after each treatment session.
What makes Cyberknife a better choice?
? The treatment time has been reduced: Treatment is now much faster than before due to a convertable table and an increased dosage induction speed.
? There is no metallic marker for some lung applications: The placement of metallic markers for some applications to the lungs is not necessary avoiding secondary risks.
? Cyberknife can track moving organs during treatment and adjust its beams accordingly: Cyberknife has an IGRT 6D Tracking system including for example the detection of rotational changes to patient movements during treatment
? Cyberknife Radiosurgery has less side effects than conventional radiotherapy: Treatment will be conducted more effectively both for the patient and the doctor, leading to better results.
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