Philadelphia CyberKnife Marks Seven Years On Cutting Edge of Cancer Treatment and Research
This month, Philadelphia CyberKnife celebrates its seventh year of operations as a service of Delaware County Memorial Hospital, part of the Crozer-Keystone Health System. Our center was the first provider of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatment in the Philadelphia region, and we’ve treated nearly 2,000 patients with the advanced procedure using CyberKnife® technology.
Through research spearheaded by our center’s team, Philadelphia CyberKnife has earned a global reputation as a leader in the field of stereotactic radiosurgery. More than half of the patients treated at Philadelphia CyberKnife have traveled from areas outside our center’s service area, including patients from the United Kingdom, Australia and across the U.S.
“As the first CyberKnife center in the Philadelphia area, we have had the opportunity to play an instrumental role in developing and demonstrating applications for this technology through our research efforts,” said Dr. John Lamond, Philadelphia CyberKnife associate medical director. “Our priority is to continuously investigate the best strategies in cancer care to better serve our patients and improve treatment outcomes.”
Brain tumors are among the most frequently treated diseases at our center, making up a quarter of total cases. In January, Philadelphia CyberKnife began collaborating with physicians in Crozer-Keystone’s HAN Neurosurgical Practice Associates practice to provide joint consultations for brain tumor patients when planning treatment. The new collaborative effort has led to a more comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to patient care in a timely fashion.
CyberKnife usually treats brain tumors in one session, but treatment may require up to five sessions depending on the individual diagnosis. During treatment, highly focused radiation beams are delivered to tumors with sub-millimeter accuracy. The outpatient procedure does not require incisions or sedation.
“Patients typically experience few to no side effects following treatment,” Dr. Lamond said. “For some patients, choosing CyberKnife can mean a decreased risk of harming healthy brain tissue surrounding a tumor as compared with other treatment methods. Additionally, the ability to immediately return to their daily routines appeals to many of our patients.”
In addition to treating brain tumors, Philadelphia CyberKnife treats malignant and benign tumors in the prostate, spine, lung, liver, pancreas, kidney and eyes. Our center is currently finalizing clinical studies on brain, lung and gynecological cancers.