Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy by Cyberknife is the latest and most advanced treatment for tumors, both cancerous and non-cancerous which can be used instead of Traditional Radio Therapy. Cyberknife uses advanced imaging technology to track & deliver the radiation to the localized tumors to precision of millimeters.
Traditional Radiotherapy refers to the use of radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells. The traditional form of radiotherapy is also called External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT). In this treatment, small doses or conventional doses of radiation are administered to the patient daily for 5 days a week for 5 to 7 weeks. Traditional radiotherapy is delivered in the form of beams of photons, and x-rays to the affected area by technique called Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), or Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT).
Doctors recommend Cyberknife procedure to treat conditions in the brain, spine, head& neck, lung, liver, pancreas, kidney, prostate and soft tissues and other parts of the body. It is an ideal alternative to surgery in case of inoperable patients or those with complex tumors. Cyberknife has been in use for more than twenty years. Hence, there is ample clinical evidence is available stating its positive outcomes.
Dr Sridhar PS is one of the leading Radiation Oncologists in India with nearly 20+ years of experience in latest radiation technologies like high precision radiotherapy – IMRT, IGRT Tomo therapy ,Cyberknife SBRT and Chemoradiotherapy and Immuno radiotherapy. He expresses his views regarding Cyberknife_-SBRT vs. Traditional Radiotherapy.
Dr Sridhar PS clarifies that Traditional Radiotherapy involves the uses of less radiation to the tumor as the doctors need to focus on minimizing the likely damage to the healthy tissues while Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy enables the doctor to use the required high dose of radiation to treat cancer with the use of high precision image tracking, precise delivery of radiation to localized tumors to the accuracy of millimeters even when there is movement in patient body.
Going forward, the number of sessions required for Cyberknife is lesser i.e. one to five or six sessions as compared to the traditional radiotherapy method that could require more daily session across a longer period of 3 – 7 weeks.
Effectiveness of stereotactic body radiation (SBRT) is more effective than traditional radiotherapy because of higher doses of radiation used. Most surgeons agree that stereotactic body radiation (SBRT) is effective more than 90% in treating tumors locally and cancers while traditional radiotherapy is effective only around 50% – 60%
Complete excision of tumor is the main challenge in cancer treatment which at times is not completely possible. Also, in certain cases, traditional radiotherapy is not effective considering the location of the tumor as it is not possible to administer heavy doses without damaging the nearby healthy tissues. In such cases i.e., inoperable locations or if the patient does not want surgery, stereotactic body radiation is recommended as an alternative to surgery as it effectively kills the cancer cells, destroys the tumor without having to remove or damage the healthy tissues. Cyberknife Stereotactic Body Radiation (SBRT) Therapy is as effective as surgery.
When compared to conventional radiation therapy, SBRT is much more effective with a local control range of 95 percent compared to half of that in traditional radiotherapy. The benefit of Cyberknife is high precision imaging and high doses of radiation to a controlled accuracy of millimeters, thereby improving the patient’s quality of life post treatment.
About Dr Sridhar PS
Dr Sridhar PS is an expert in whole-body stereotactic robotic radiosurgery (CyberKnife). Cyberknife is a robotic device with high precision image tracking and radiation administration to localized tumors or cancers even in their later stages – as late as stage IV called also metastasis, multiple lesions and retreatment of cancer.
Dr. Sridhar is highly experienced in managing prostate, liver, and pancreatic cancers and also neurological and benign tumors. He is successfully performed more than 3000 CyberKnife surgeries. He is available for treatment at HCG – The Specialist in Cancer Care, Bangalore and HCG ICS Khubchandani Cancer Centre, Mumbai. Patients can reach him at 98865 54972 / +91 90084 82284
