The effects of radiosurgery vary and may occur gradually and over time. The timeframe can range from days, months or years depending on the medical condition targeted. Some tumors may disappear slower than others or may simply stop growing and present no further cell activity. After treatment, patients typically are asked to get periodic images (CAT scan or MRI) of their tumor(s) and additional tests may be required, so the physician can monitor the effectiveness of the treatment.
How many patients have been treated with the CyberKnife System?
As of June 2009 more than 70,000 patients have been treated worldwide by the CyberKnife System. More than half of those patients were treated with lesions or tumors outside of the brain and head.
Has the CyberKnife System been cleared by the FDA?
Yes, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the CyberKnife System to treat tumors in the head, neck and upper spine in 1999 and tumors anywhere in the body in 2001.
What side effects can I expect after a CyberKnife treatment?
Most patients experience minimal to no short-term side effects and often recover quickly. Depending on the treatment, some patient’s may experience different side effects such as mild fatigue or nausea. The CyberKnife physician will disclose all possible side effects prior to treatment.
I am currently on or have been on chemotherapy. Am I eligible for a CyberKnife treatment?
The CyberKnife System can treat patients that have either gone through chemotherapy or are currently undergoing chemotherapy. It is important for the patient to provide their physician with a complete medical history so to the physician can prescribe the appropriate treatment course.
How many times can I receive a CyberKnife treatment?
The frequency of treatments depends on where the tumor is located and what type of tumor is
being treated. Most patients can receive multi-treatments or can be re-treated with the
CyberKnife System.
Are CyberKnife treatments covered by private insurance companies and Medicare?
While we cannot guarantee reimbursement from any third-party payer, data collected from USbased
CyberKnife centers indicate that Medicare has covered the CyberKnife treatment, and
over 100 unique commercial, private payers are reimbursing the related codes, and any or all
portions of CyberKnife services. Patients should always consult with a physician in connection
with any and all treatment options, and if required, obtain prior authorization from their insurance companies once a treatment option is determined.
Accuray, Inc., the manufacturer of the CyberKnife System, offers assistance to those patients that
may experience challenges with their insurance carriers. If you need special assistance, please
contact Accuray Patient Relations at 1.888.522.3740 ext 4301 or 1.408.789.4301 or email them
at patientinfo@accuray.com.
How is a CyberKnife "radiosurgery" treatment different from a traditional radiation therapy treatment?
Traditional radiation therapy typically delivers radiation to a wide field of tissue in the body
resulting in the treatment of both the tumor and a large amount of surrounding healthy
tissue. This is necessary because traditional radiation therapy systems did not account for tumor
motion and were therefore much less accurate. These wide radiation fields increased the
possibility of damage to normal tissue, increasing the risk of side effects following the radiation treatment. To reduce the number of side effects, clinicians were forced to rethink the way traditional radiation therapy was delivered. As a result, the overall radiation dose was reduced and the number of treatments was divided into 30 to 40 sessions, delivered over a period of weeks.
Radiosurgery devices, such as the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System, were designed to
deliver radiation with extreme accuracy, targeting the tumor with minimal damage to the
surrounding healthy tissue. The accuracy of the CyberKnife System allows clinicians to deliver
very high doses of radiation safely because the size of the radiation field is smaller and only
includes the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue. This allows for less damage to
surrounding healthy tissue and for clinicians to complete treatment in 1 to 5 days versus the
weeks it takes with traditional radiation therapy.
How does the CyberKnife System differ from other radiosurgery systems?
A) Unprecedented Targeting Accuracy – Many tumors have proven to move during treatment
delivery - even when the patient is immobilized. Using advanced robotic technology and the
ability to track tumor motion throughout the treatment, the CyberKnife System can deliver
radiation with extreme accuracy by automatically correcting for tumor movement in real-time.
Where other technologies rely on static images taken just prior to treatment, the CyberKnife
System automatically tracks, detects, and corrects for even the slightest motion that might occur
throughout treatment delivery.
B) Unrivaled Conformality and Dose Gradient – Unconstrained by the clockwise /
counterclockwise rotations of conventional radiotherapy systems, the robotic mobility of the
CyberKnife System enables beams to be delivered from a very wide array of unique angles. By
approaching the target from hundreds of different directions, the CyberKnife System sculpts
delivered dose precisely to the unique contours of the target while limiting exposure to
surrounding critical structures.
C) Unparalleled Healthy Tissue Sparing – As the only system capable of delivering beams that
move in real-tie with 3D respiratory motion, the CyberKnife System significantly reduces the
treatment margins commonplace with other radiation delivery systems. With smaller treatment
margins, the CyberKnife System focuses the prescribed dose to the intended target – not the
surrounding healthy tissue.
