Revolutionising Tumour Treatment: M6 CyberKnife at Artemis Hospital,Gurgaon
Artemis Hospital in Gurgaon is home to North India’s first M6 CyberKnife treatment facility, an advanced form of radiosurgery for treating malignant tumours, particularly brain tumours. M6 CyberKnife is a non-invasive alternative to conventional neurosurgery (microsurgery) and is revolutionising the treatment of brain tumours in India.
What is CyberKnife Radiosurgery?
M6 CyberKnife, an innovative medical treatment for tumours, treats anomalous tissue growths and malignancies. By leveraging state-of-the-art technology and advanced imaging techniques, CyberKnife facilitates irradiation of the affected region by precisely eradicating cancer cells and preventing damage to the surrounding healthy tissues.
M6 CyberKnife treatment is led by a team of specialists including:
- Neurosurgeon
- Oncologist
- Radiation oncologist
- Medical physicist
- Other healthcare providers as required
What Happens During CyberKnife Treatment?
Presenting several advantages over conventional neurosurgery, CyberKnife is a highly accurate and minimally invasive brain tumour treatment. CyberKnife treatment involves the following steps:
- During the initial consultation for CyberKnife treatment, the patient meets a radiation therapist, radiation oncologist, CyberKnife coordinator, and a surgical specialist for clarity about the treatment process.
- Unlike gammaknife, CyberKnife is a fully frameless treatment, and does not involve the use of face or body frames. Instead, a foam body mould or a plastic mesh mask is used for brain, head or neck tumours to minimise movement during treatment.
- CyberKnife treatment is painless and involves one or more imaging tests such as CT scan, PET scan, Myelogram or MRI for a detailed map of the specific area to be treated.
- The treatment takes about 20 to 50 minutes. The cameras in the treatment room help the CyberKnife team monitor the entire process. The treatment process is painless but may require more than one treatment session.
- Unlike gammaknife, CyberKnife can be used in case a tumour is located anywhere in the body and not only in the brain.
Why Do I Need CyberKnife Treatment?
Unlike gammaknife CyberKnife is most commonly used to treat brain tumours and metastases throughout the body including:
- Brain tumours (benign and cancerous)
- Lung cancer
- Spinal cancer
- Pancreas cancer
- Prostate cancer
How Do I Get Ready for CyberKnife treatment?
Make sure to remember the following points on the day of CyberKnife treatment:
- There are no restrictions on drinking or eating.
- Wear comfortable clothes and remove all jewellery.
- If you take pain medication for your health condition, be sure to take it before the treatment starts.
- On the treatment day, a CyberKnife nurse will check and review your symptoms either before or after the treatment. Also, a radiation oncologist will always be available to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about the treatment.
Key Features and Benefits of CyberKnife
The M6 CyberKnife system offers an array of advantages, including rapid pain relief, recovery and more for improved patient care.
- Non-invasive: One of the key advantages of the M6 CyberKnife system is its ability to facilitate treatment without requiring invasive procedures.
- Frameless: CyberKnife treatment is completely frameless, so there is no requirement to put a frame on the patient’s head.
- Painless with few or no side effects: The entire treatment is painless. The patient can resume normal, everyday life activities immediately after treatment.
- Quick: Each treatment session typically lasts only 20 to 50 minutes.
- Cost-effective: CyberKnife is an OPD based procedure and does not require hospitalisation or anaesthesia. In addition to this, a patient requires only one to five treatments instead of 10 to 45 treatments in traditional radiation therapy.
- Accurate: Cyberknife executes a very high radiosurgery treatment. The radiation in CyberKnife treatment is so precise that it does not affect the healthy tissue surrounding the tumour or lesion.
- Proven long term reliability: The CyberKnife system has proven long term reliability in delivering positive outcomes for a high percentage of patients who receive this treatment.
What are the Risks of CyberKnife treatment?
Potential CyberKnife complications or risk factors may include:
- Temporary discomfort in the face and head due to the mask.
- A few patients may experience nausea, vomiting or vertigo immediately after treatment.
- Tumour progression despite CyberKnife treatment occurs in less than 5% of patients who undergo the treatment.
M6 CyberKnife features VOLO (advanced software algorithm) for radiosurgery. With a continuous progression in technology, novel discoveries and techniques introduced regularly, CyberKnife comes forth as a highly targeted and effective treatment for brain tumour. Here are some important things to know before the treatment planning initiates:
- The reason you are undergoing the procedure
- What results to expect and what they indicate
- The benefits and potential risks of the procedure
- Who to consult after the procedure, in case of any concerns
- The cost of the procedure
