Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. The good news is that it can often be treated successfully if detected early and addressed with the proper treatment plan.
More often than not, the most effective course of treatment for prostate cancer is radiotherapy in which concentrated doses of ionized radiation target the malignant tumor and destroy cancer cells. Significantly, the cure rate for men using radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer that has not spread is an encouraging 96%. The 5-year survival rate is nearly perfect at 99%.
Your doctor may recommend radiation therapy for cancer that is low-grade and confined to the prostate gland or as part of a first attempt at treatment – along with hormone therapy – for cancer that has grown outside the prostate gland and into neighboring tissues. Radiation therapy is also appropriate if the cancer is not totally removed or recurs in the area of the prostate following surgery or if the cancer is advanced (as a means of keeping the cancer under control for as long as possible and help relieve or prevent symptoms).
The downside to traditional radiation therapy is that it can be a taxing experience. Not only does it require multiple sessions that can last for weeks or months, but it can also adversely affect healthy tissues or organs surrounding the tumor and trigger unpleasant side effects such as fatigue, nausea, and skin problems.
Fortunately, there is a more advanced, equally effective form of radiation therapy that avoids these problems. It’s called CyberKnife® and, despite its name, is a painless, nonsurgical method of eradicating cancerous and noncancerous tumors and lesions.
Ideal for prostate cancers, CyberKnife – often referred to as The Beam of Life – uses state-of-the-art image-guidance technology and a robotic arm to zero in on cancerous tumors with pinpoint accuracy and bombard it with high-dose radiation. Unlike conventional radiation therapy, the CyberKnife system is precise and adjusts for the slightest movement – as a patient’s breathing – to keep its beam focused exclusively on the tumor, leaving tissue and organs in close proximity unharmed.
The typical CyberKnife procedure is a comfortable, relaxing experience in which the patient simply lies still for approximately 30-60 minutes while a highly skilled team of oncologists and radiation therapists operate the system. Because CyberKnife delivers a higher dosage of concentrated radiation, as few as five therapy sessions over the course of a single week may be required. Another advantage of CyberKnife radiotherapy is that it doesn’t entail any downtime. There are few, if any, minor side effects so, once a session is over, you can go about your normal daily routine.
With the CyberKnife system, the task of undergoing effective treatment for prostate cancer is much simpler and more convenient than traditional radiation therapy.
To learn more about this ground-breaking treatment option and whether you are a suitable candidate, contact the CyberKnife Center of Miami today by calling (305) 279-2900 or go to our website now www.prostatecancertreatmentmiami.com and/or schedule a private consultation using our online appointment request form.