David Viglione of Leesburg, Virginia, calls himself “the poster child” of CyberKnife® therapy. Credit the long-term success of his CyberKnife treatment for prostate cancer—a decade later he is still cancer free.
When he was first diagnosed, David was working full-time; and living an active life filled with travel, racquetball, golf, and quality time with his family. Fast forward to today, and David is still enjoying that same vibrant lifestyle.
“When I found out I had prostate cancer, I decided my best course of action was to get smarter before making a decision,” David says. He discovered that there were several good options to address the cancer, but he was concerned about their potential long-term side effects, and how that would impact his active lifestyle. Then, after learning more about the CyberKnife Prostate program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, David felt hopeful.
“CyberKnife is highly accurate and precisely targets cancer cells with high doses of radiation,” explains Dr. Jonathan Lischalk, clinical director of radiosurgery at MedStar Georgetown.
David was thrilled to learn that most CyberKnife patients only need five treatments, versus the 40 required with conventional radiation. Plus, with CyberKnife, there is virtually no recovery time.
Because of its precision, CyberKnife protects surrounding healthy tissues and organs. The procedure itself is painless and the likelihood of significant side effects is minimal. “I knew it was the optimal solution for me,” says David. “It would take care of the cancer and let me get back to playing sports and living the kind of lifestyle that I had before.”
“My treatments were done after work. I’d drive down to the center and do my CyberKnife therapy; then I’d drive home and go to work the next day. I never even stopped traveling. I traveled both domestically and internationally for work. Nothing slowed me down,” David says. Then, there was the ease of treatment. “You don’t feel it,” he says. “CyberKnife is painless. There’s always soft music playing in the background. The doctors and the staff put you at ease. They treat you as part of their family! I am so happy with my decision to select Cyberknife to treat and eliminate my prostate cancer!”
David is living proof that for patients with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer, CyberKnife is an excellent option. And it’s not just David’s case that supports this. In fact, the CyberKnife system has more than two decades of clinical proof. Studies following patients since 2000 show that long-term survival with CyberKnife is as good as with traditional prostate cancer treatments—while being quicker and much less disruptive to the patient, with minimal side effects.
More than a decade after treatment, David says he’s enjoyed great quality and quantity of life. “For me,” he says, “CyberKnife, and my team fulfilled their mission. I’m living proof.”
At CyberKnife Miami we’re happy to answer your questions, and/or set up a consultation to see if you are a candidate for CyberKnife therapy.
Call us at 305-279-2900.