Patient Guide to CyberKnife® Treatment

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Patient Guide to CyberKnife®
Treatment
Created by St. Louis CyberKnife
(636) 496-4660 | www.stlouiscyberknife.com
1011 Bowles Ave., Suite G-50, Fenton, MO 63026

The CyberKnife treats patients with a procedure called
stereotactic radiosurgery, a noninvasive method of
treating tumors with high-dose radiation precisely aimed
from different angles. It is the world’s only robotic
radiosurgery system, comprised of a compact linear
accelerator – a machine that generates a radiation beam
– attached to a highly maneuverable robotic arm.While
the name may conjure images of knives and scalpels,
CyberKnife treatment does not require surgery.
Treatment is painless and noninvasive, so there’s no
cutting or anesthesia required.
CyberKnifeTreatment:
Overview

CyberKnife destroys cancerous and benign tumors with
high-dose, highly accurate radiation beams while minimizing
damage to healthy tissue.This pinpoint accuracy allows our
physicians to treat difficult-to-reach tumors that may have
been impossible to treat in the past. By delivering high-dose
radiation from precise angles, CyberKnife also significantly
reduces treatment time for the patient.With CyberKnife,
the duration of treatment is reduced to one to five
treatments over a course of one to two weeks, depending
on the size, location and type of tumor. In contrast,
traditional radiation therapy is typically delivered for five
days a week over a period of six to eight weeks.
Overview

Most patients go home right after
CyberKnife treatment and immediately
resume normal activities.There may be
side effects, such as fatigue, but these
are usually minor and temporary.
Overview

Why Choose
CyberKnife?
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How Does
CyberKnife Work?
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Treatment
Comparisons
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Quick Links

BeforeTreatment
Call St. Louis CyberKnife to begin the process of determining
whether you’re a candidate for CyberKnife treatment. Based on
the initial conversation, we’ll schedule a personal consultation
within the following two to four days.You’ll meet with a member
of our physician team, and a decision will be made whether
CyberKnife treatment is right for you.
Listed below are some procedures that may be performed prior
to your CyberKnife treatment. Every treatment plan is different,
and not all of these initial steps are necessary for every patient.
The procedures required as part of your individualized
treatment plan, and the order in which they will occur, will be
explained during your consultation visit.

BeforeTreatment
CT Simulation
A CT scan is needed prior to beginning CyberKnife treatment. Even if you recently had
a CT scan as part of your diagnosis, a new one will be needed in order for the
radiation oncologist and physicist to develop your customized treatment plan. Some
patients may need a soft mesh mask or body cradle molded from a lightweight
material that helps in the CyberKnife treatment process.The fitting is painless and is
completed as part of the CT scan process.
MR Imaging
Sometimes special imaging procedures, such as an MRI, are needed in addition to the
CT Scan.Your radiation oncologist will write specific directions on areas of your body
that need to be imaged.The radiation oncologist also determines whether this
procedure requires contrast material, a special dye put in your body that helps the
radiologist locate the treatment area on your radiology films. Contrast material is
available in IV and oral forms.

BeforeTreatment
Laboratory Studies
The MRI procedure may require contrast material. If you need an MRI with contrast,
we need to determine whether your kidneys can flush the dye out of your body.Your
physician will order what’s known as a “BUN” and a creatinine blood test.The test
results determine whether your kidneys can handle the dye on their own or if you
need IV fluids to help flush out the dye.
Tissue Markers
Depending on your individual case, you may need small tissue markers known as
fiducials implanted in or near the tumor site. Fiducials help the CyberKnife system
precisely target the treatment area.A physician implants the fiducials in or near the
tumor site in a brief outpatient procedure.We will schedule this procedure and
provide instructions for preparation. If needed, fiducial placement takes place prior to
the CT scan.

DuringTreatment
Patients are asked to wear comfortable clothing during CyberKnife treatments. Jewelry is
acceptable unless it is close to the area being treated. For example, we ask that earrings
and necklaces be removed prior to treatment of tumors within the head and neck.
A technician will help you onto the treatment table and ﬁt the mask or body mold if
needed. Patients are observed throughout the treatment on closed-circuit television, and
they can pause treatment at any time by waving or speaking to the technicians.
There’s no sedation or anesthesia required. Sometimes patients take naps during their
procedures. Feel free to bring an iPod® or your favorite music CDs with you on the day
of your treatment, and we will play them for you during the procedure.
While the CyberKnife’s advanced tracking system accounts for movements like
breathing, you’re asked to lie still during treatment.The system periodically takes X-ray
images and compares them to the CT scan data to make sure the radiation beam is
locked on the tumor.Treatment procedures take 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the
complexity of your tumor.

AfterTreatment
Recovery from a CyberKnife procedure is often immediate,
given both the low risk of complications and the lack of
damage to healthy tissue. In most cases, you will be able to
return to your normal activities immediately following the
procedure.
After completing your CyberKnife treatment, we’ll need to see
you for follow-up imaging and physician consultation to
monitor your tumor’s progress.You will have an individualized
plan for follow up that will be coordinated by the CyberKnife
nurse in collaboration with the physicians involved in your
care.

PatientTestimonial
“I had ﬁve treatments scheduled over a 10-day period and it was
very uneventful, thankfully.There was no discomfort or pain and I
haven’t experienced any side effects.The St. Louis CyberKnife
team is really great. I really feel like I got to know them almost
like family.They did everything they could to make me feel as
comfortable as possible.”
Joe A.

Our Center
St. Louis CyberKnife is a service of SSM Cancer Care, which is
accredited by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on
Cancer for its comprehensive cancer program. Our doctors are
board-certiﬁed in radiation oncology and have several areas of
specialty, including head and neck cancers and prostate, lung and
breast cancers. Our CyberKnife nurse navigator is an integral part of
our patient care approach, providing clinical support and care
coordination for our patients and their families.
View a list of our radiation oncologists.
Our Staff
CyberKnife Nurse Navigator:Vicki Hartnett, RN OCN
Site Administrator: Jennifer Moore, RN BSN OCN
Physicist: Dr. Mark Pohlman, PhD DABR
Dosimetrist: Insoo Moon
CyberKnifeTherapist: Susan Barnhart, RTT
CyberKnifeTherapist: Ryan Menke, RTT
Operations Coordinator:Andy Law, LPN
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Patient Guide to CyberKnife® Treatment

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