Prostate cancer, the symptoms (or lack thereof), the testing, the diagnosis, the research of treatment options, the treatment itself and the recovery, can be like walking down a very long, winding, and overwhelming road. But it does not have to be if you find the right medical treatment and partner to team up with, who will hold your hand down that scary road and help make the process much less daunting. That is our promise to our patients and their families.
The caring staff at the CyberKnife Center of Miami could be that partner you are looking for and take the fear out of the cancer treatment process, and it is a process.
What we offer our patients is a painless, non-invasive radiation treatment, which can be an alternative to surgery for prostate cancer in early and even later stages — with shorter treatment times, little to no downtime and much less recovery time than surgery, if any at all. Most of our patients go about their daily routine and activities after treatment.
- Five years after CyberKnife, the disease-free survival rates were 97%-100% for low-risk patients, making CyberKnife superior to the 92%-94% with conventional radiation.
- The rates were 88%-97% for intermediate-risk patients, making it equal to or higher than the 85%-90% reported with conventional radiation.
- And the 12-year disease-free survival rates with CyberKnife were 93% for low-risk patients compared to 81%-85% with conventional radiation.
So, if getting past the diagnosis, getting rid of the cancer, and getting back to your life as quickly as possible is your priority, the time to contact CyberKnife Miami is now.
CyberKnife Treatment Duration Compared to Surgery
CyberKnife uses what is called stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT to deliver pinpointed radiation to prostate tumors. With CyberKnife, the technology tracks your movements in real-time, so the radiation beams stay laser-focused on your prostate to minimize hitting and damaging nearby healthy tissue.
CyberKnife is a non-surgical, outpatient procedure, which you can learn more about from Accuray, the manufacturer of the CyberKnife. Plus, patients do not need any anesthesia because the treatments are pain free. In fact, during the 30-minute treatment, most patients take a nap while on the CyberKnife table.
As a result, there is no recovery from anesthesia, incisions or pain medications given after surgery. And since there is no cutting, there is no risk of infection afterwards.
CyberKnife Treatment Duration Compared to Traditional Radiation
Now let us talk about traditional radiation versus CyberKnife. With traditional radiation patients typically need up to 42 treatment sessions, which take about 3 months to complete. That takes a lot of time away from doing whatever you need to do, like work. Doing what you enjoy doing, like playing golf or working out. And just as important, it robs you of precious time you need and want to spend with those you love.
With CyberKnife, you need five treatment sessions over ten days. While that sounds like it is too good to be true, it is absolutely is true. The reason again is that CyberKnife delivers a high dose of pinpoint targeted radiation directly to the prostate. So, it is a more powerful dose, delivered faster than conventional radiation.
“Most patients experience only minimal side effects and can quickly return to their daily routines with little interruption to their normal activities during or following their treatment,” says Dr. Mark Pomper, the medical director at CyberKnife Miami.
Mario Tobon, CyberKnife Miami’s lead radiation therapist says, “The biggest surprise patients tell me is, how easy the treatment was. Much easier than they thought possible.”
Because CyberKnife has sub-millimeter precision or less than the thickness of a dime, it reduces the risk of long-term and short-term treatment side effects like impotence or urinary or bowel incontinence, according to the top experts specializing in CyberKnife treatment. That means there are fewer disruptions to your life in the long- and the short-term – despite higher doses of radiation.
CyberKnife Patient Survey
According to a survey of 304 participants conducted by the CyberKnife Coalition, a non-profit advocacy group, 99% said they would choose to be treated with CyberKnife again. And 98% said they would recommend CyberKnife treatment to others. Finally, 93% of participants said CyberKnife treatment did not interrupt day-to-day lives.
And many doctors are now admitting, if they ended up with prostate cancer, they would choose CyberKnife if they were a candidate for it, and most patients are perfect for it.
CyberKnife Treatment Miami
If you are facing a prostate cancer diagnosis, call our team, and set up a consultation.
If your doctor says CyberKnife is not for you, or will not work for you, do your own research because there is a very good chance it will, and if you are a candidate, you will be very happy you chose CyberKnife.
No matter what your doctor tells you, it is always wise to get a second opinion, and smart to go to, or call a CyberKnife center near you to find out if you are a suitable candidate for this therapy.
And you should also know most insurance companies, including Medicare and Medicaid, pay for CyberKnife treatments.
At CyberKnife Miami, we have successfully treated hundreds of prostate cancer patients with excellent results, not just from here in South Florida, but from across the country and the world including the Caribbean where CyberKnife is not available.
Many patients come here because of our experience. We take on some of the toughest cancer cases for patients that other cancer centers said they couldnot help and turned away. We believe there is always hope, and if nothing else, chances are we can buy patients the most precious gift, extra time, while allowing them to maintain quality of life.
Bottomline – we are here for you. If nothing else but to answer your questions and help get you on the right treatment path, whether that is CyberKnife or not. We can help assure you that you are making the right treatment choice, and if we do not believe so, we will help steer you toward the treatment that gives you the best chance of a positive outcome.
If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife, call us at 305-279-2900.You can also go to our prostate cancer website now for more information, and to see what our patients have to say about their CyberKnife treatment, how they liked joining forces with our team, and how they are doing after CyberKnife treatment for prostate cancer. Knowledge is power and will give you the confidence to make the best decision for you and your family.