Your prostate cancer treatment does not happen in a vacuum.
It takes coordination from doctors, physicists, medical support staff, you insurance company, and the list goes on.
Plus, in order to start treatment – any type of treatment – you need certain tests completed. For starters, you need the stage and type of prostate cancer, scans to show where it is, PSA scores, biopsy results and your medical history.
While the diagnosis itself is overwhelming, choosing and coordinating a treatment plan can be challenging as well.
CyberKnife for Prostate Cancer
The first thing you should know is that you have treatment options, including CyberKnife, a non-invasive radiation treatment for prostate cancer, which is becoming the number one treatment choice among men because it’s quicker, faster, safer, and highly effective at curing cancer.
CyberKnife uses a technology called image guided linear accelerator to deliver precise radiation beams through a robotic arm to the tumor site, according to Accuray, CyberKnife’s maker.
“CyberKnife accuracy is sub-millimetric, which can help significantly reduce the risk of the side effects that too often disrupt the lives of patients during and after treatment,” Accuray states.
For prostate cancer that means a lower risk of side effects like erectile dysfunction as well as lower risks of bowel and bladder problems, like incontinence.
Prostate Cancer Second Opinion
Secondly, the experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami — a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center in South Florida – recommend always getting a second opinion. Especially if your doctor or doctors, even your oncologist tells you CyberKnife is not for you. Get a second opinion because chances are CyberKnife would be the best option for you. It is for most patients.
You ask, “Why would my doctor say it’s not for me if it is, that’s inconceivable?”
Because doctors want to keep your treatment at their center, or they are not familiar with other technology. It’s called ‘medicine’s dirty little secret.’
“Do yourself a favor, before you get any cancer treatment do your research, learn all your treatment options. If you’re told CyberKnife is not for you get a second opinion from a radiation oncologist and ask about CyberKnife therapy, and then decide for yourself which route to go,” says Dr. Mark Pomper, a board-certified radiation oncologist and the medical director of CyberKnife Miami.
If you do choose CyberKnife, the treatment center you go to is also vital. At CyberKnife Miami, we are not only among the most experienced world wide, we put patients first. What does that mean?
You will almost always get a live person on the phone and if you get a voicemail, we will call you back as quickly as possible.
We answer emails, and all your questions. We want you to be confident that you picked the best team, the best center to give you the best possible outcome.
We are like no other center in that we help you every step of the way to make the process as simple, easy and quick as possible so you can get back to living life, instead of going through endless cancer treatments.
CyberKnife Treatment Process for Prostate Cancer
With CyberKnife Miami, the treatment process begins with a call, a consultation, meeting our team and then preparing for treatment.
We streamline the process to make it easier for you and for your family.
Here is generally what you can expect:
- The first thing you will need are scans to help determine the exact size and location of the prostate and the tumors. Chances are we can help you get those scans done faster.
- Two weeks before treatment, you’ll need a short outpatient procedure to implant what’s called fiducials or markers to help better identify and track a tumor on an x-ray.
- About a week after that, you will have more scans to determine the area to target with the radiation, the dose and to mark other critical structures – like the bowels or rectum – where radiation should be minimized.
- Then treatment will then begin. Generally, it’s five sessions over one to two weeks. The treatments are non invasive and outpatient.
- Most patients will not have any major side effects and can return to normal activities right after their treatment, or soon thereafter.
The CyberKnife Miami Advantage
At CyberKnife Miami, we have successfully treated hundreds of prostate cancer patients from across the country and right here in South Florida with excellent results.
Our goal is to partner with you through your treatment journey and make sure you are as comfortable as possible.
If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife, whether it’s at our center or not, call us at 305-279-2900. We’re happy to answer your questions. And go to our prostate cancer website now for more information.