Prostate Cancer treatment can be a long, strenuous endeavor. Many patients endure painful surgery and/or other treatments that take months to complete. The side effects of these treatments can also make the fight more difficult and depressing.
However technological advances, backed by decades of positive scientific research have led to much better prostate cancer treatments. One the most successful and most popular treatment options today, with a high cure rate for qualifying candidates is CyberKnife Radiation Therapy.
Two recent studies once again showed consistent results, proving the CyberKnife System is highly effective at treating low-and intermediate-risk prostate cancer.
The studies used differing protocols to ensure the results had no bias and are the largest to date in evaluating CyberKnife also known as Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). The studies were published in The International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics and the European Urology Oncology Journal, both online.
The Science Behind 5 Treatments
The CyberKnife System delivers external beams of high doses of radiation with the most accuracy. It only requires 5 radiation therapy sessions to destroy the tumor with sub-millimeter precision while preserving healthy surrounding tissue.
Prostate cancer cells are highly sensitive to high-dose radiation which is why CyberKnife therapy has a 97-to-100% cure rate for low-risk patients. This rate is equivalent to that of low-dose and high-dose brachytherapy and is higher than the rates of conventional radiation therapy.
For intermediate-risk patients, the studies show an 88-to-97% cure rate, still equivalent or higher than rates produced by conventional radiation therapy.
What are the Additional Benefits of CyberKnife?
Less than 2% of patients had grade 3 or higher toxicities. Noticeable side effects were comparable to other radiation therapy procedures however patients did not require uncomfortable tools such as catheters, or invasive rectal balloons or spacers to spare the rectal wall.
In addition to the medical benefits, the greatly reduced number of therapy sessions that CyberKnife requires is much more convenient for patients and less costly than longer-term therapies.
Dr. Robert M. Meier, Medical Director of the Swedish Radiosurgery Center in Seattle and lead investigator of the study published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics says, ”Our study treated over 300 prostate cancer patients across 21 centers throughout the United States. The CyberKnife’s unique architecture tracks and automatically corrects for prostate motion, delivering radiation with sub-millimeter accuracy. This exceptional precision allowed us to give a more effective dose of radiotherapy, which translated into superior cancer control. Since we were able to avoid the healthy tissues which lie immediately adjacent to the prostate, side effects were uncommon.”
The key is finding the best Prostate Cancer Treatment for your particular needs. Patients have numerous options.
Do yourself a favor, research and investigate all your options, don’t just do what your doctor tells you to do. He or she may be right or they may be wrong. There may be an easier, safer, faster and more successful prostate cancer treatment available.
Take control of your cancer treatment to make sure you’ve found what’s best for you, considering your overall health, age and lifestyle.
The CyberKnife System was designed to provide successful treatment for prostate cancer with as little impact on a patient’s life as possible so you can quickly and painlessly get back to a healthy, full life.
Call our Prostate Cancer Experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami to see if you are a candidate and to schedule an appointment 305-279-2900 and go to our website now to learn more www.prostatecancertreatmentmiami.com