When it comes to dealing with prostate cancer, the stage at which it is detected can be critical. Caught early enough, this type of cancer can be effectively treated, resulting in complete remission.
But what if you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and your doctor tells you it’s “metastatic”? What that means is that the prostate cancer cells have spread from their primary site of origin (a tumor on or in the prostate) to one or more other areas of your body, such as the bones, lymph nodes, liver, or lungs.
If prostate cancer cells have spread to an area near the prostate, such as one or more abdominal lymph nodes, it is referred to as regional metastasis or locally advanced cancer. If the cancer cells have metastasized to parts of the body that are farther away, it is referred to as distant metastasis.
In either case, aggressive treatment may be necessary to slow the growth or spread of the cancer. This may require systemic (body-wide) therapy in the form of chemotherapy or hormone therapy, which may also be combined with surgery or radiation therapy.
However, in helping to ease the effects of metastatic cancer, these options may produce unsettling side effects of their own. These effects can include pain, fatigue, hair loss, gastrointestinal problems, and flu-like symptoms, just to name a few.
Alternative to Traditional Cancer Care
Fortunately, there is an effective alternative to traditional radiation therapy that can make the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer significantly more manageable. It’s called CyberKnife®, which is an advanced, noninvasive form of radiosurgery that uses ultra-precise, image-guided, robotic technology to deliver massive doses of radiation to the cancerous tumor with virtually flawless accuracy.
Unlike traditional radiation therapy, CyberKnife automatically adjusts to the slightest body movement during treatment – even a patient’s breathing. This enables the radiation beam to maintain its focus exclusively on the targeted tumor, thereby destroying cancer cells while leaving healthy, surrounding tissues and organs unaffected.
Benefits of CyberKnife Radiation Therapy
A main advantage that CyberKnife has over traditional radiation therapy is that it requires only several relaxing treatment sessions lasting just 30 to 90 minutes each. In fact, an entire course of treatment with CyberKnife can be completed in as little as one week instead of several exhausting weeks or months when undergoing traditional radiation therapy.
Plus, there is no downtime with CyberKnife therapy and few, if any, minor side effects. Immediately following treatment, you can resume your normal activities.
Treatment for Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients in Miami
If you have been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, you’ll want only the best care without the discomfort and damaging side effects associated with traditional radiation therapy. The CyberKnife Center of Miami has the proven technology and therapeutic skills to provide you with the safest and most effective radiation therapy currently available.
To learn more about CyberKnife and whether you are an appropriate candidate for this revolutionary breakthrough in cancer care, contact us at the CyberKnife Center of Miami today at (800) 204-0455 or (305) 279-2900 to schedule a consultation. Or, if you prefer, use our online contact form now to conveniently request a meeting with one of our highly skilled specialists. We look forward to helping you stamp out this cancer so you can get on with your life!