Advantages of Cyberknife Radiosurgery for Head and Neck Cancer Treatment

Authored by Dr Bhavin Visariya, Radiation Oncologist, HCG ICS Khubchandani Cancer Hospital, Mumbai

Modern medicine is leveraging cutting-edge technology to usher in an era of targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and precision-based equipment to treat diseases like cancer more effectively. Early detection techniques have also improved drastically, and this has increased detection rates. Precision based technology leading to precise treatment protocols have reduced hospital stay for most of the patients, allowing significantly less damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

One of the commonest type of cancer is Head and Neck Cancer, which can be caused by Tobacco consumption,  smoking, consumption of alcohol, unhealthy diet followed over a number of years etc. Head and Neck cancer affects the tissues and organs in the head and neck region, such as of the human body, and includes parts like the larynx or voice box, pharynx or the throat, mouth, nasal cavity and salivary glands. These organs perform vital functions such as chewing, swallowing and speech. Targeted therapies are extensively deployed by doctors all over the world to treat these cases of head and neck cancer more effectively with precision and care. Timely detection is the first stage in treatment of all forms of cancer and with the help of advanced imaging technology this has become new normal.

The best form of treatment combines a multi-disciplinary approach that combines various oncological expertise (Surgical, Medical and Radiation) in conjugation with each other to provide a cutting-edge and accurate/precise solution. Medical science has the most to benefit from future advancements in technology, which continues to evolve. However, patient care has to be at the center of all such advancements. Medical equipment which master this balance will continue to provide the best of technology has to offer.

Precision based treatment for variants like head and neck cancer has lead to maximizing benefit to these patients. Cyberknife, a precision-based robotic radiation delivery system that targets tumors with a high-dose radiation from various angles while leaving the surrounding healthy cells unharmed. Cyberknife has the ability to deliver radiation therapy to locations with sub-millimeter accuracy and thus it can be used to treat cancers located in critical and difficult-to-reach areas of the human body like the head and the neck region. Recovery for patients treated using this technology is almost immediate due to the procedure being non-invasive and minuscule damage to the surrounding healthy tissues.

In today’s modern life individuals undergoing cancer treatment prefer to get back to their everyday activities at the earliest and Cyberknife technology makes that a possibility. It also helps doctors treat all forms of this cancer with highest accuracy. This is a non-invasive method of treatment and that reduces the chances of post-surgery complications that can endanger delicate surrounding organs. Accuracy and speed are very important when it comes to treatment of vital organs in the human body and Cyberknife is a marvelous synergy of both.

In a Cyberknife, the radiation delivery system is mounted on a multi-delivery robotic arm which allows delivery of radiation to the concerned area with precision and accuracy. It also has an image guidance system that helps locate the tumor throughout treatment even with smallest patient movements. Whenever the patient moves the tumor moves with them, for instance when they sneeze or yawn the tumor changes position. With the help of a Cyberknife doctors can track the movement of this tumor with excellent accuracy.

Salient features of cyberknife treatment:

Cyberknife delivers brief and painless sessions of targeted therapy for patients
It is a non-invasive procedure that does not require any hospital stays post procedure
Patient who undergo stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with the Cyberknife may not need a long-recovery period as it is hardly does damage surrounding healthy cells, helping them recover faster
Cyberknife is precision-driven which uses real-time imaging to locate tumors with sub-millimeter accuracy even if they are irregularly shaped or located in hard-to-reach and sensitive areas