Stereotactic Radiosurgery offers cutting-edge precision in the battle against cancer
By Biral S. Amin, MD
Stereotactic Radiosurgery has changed the outlook for many cancer patients once at a high risk of complications from radiation treatment – or with little chance of recovery at all.
Two remarkable systems at the Radiosurgery Center, the Leksell Gamma Knife and Synergy S, can deliver high doses of radiation to abnormal tissues in the brain and body in an extremely precise manner.
These non-invasive therapies increase the concentration of radiation we can deliver to unhealthy tissue yet spare surrounding healthy tissue from damage. With no incisions involved, they also limit blood loss and pain, promote quicker healing and offer new hope to patients who have undergone previous cancer treatments without success.
The Gamma Knife simultaneously aims 194 powerful beams of cobalt radiation at a single site inside the brain. The outpatient procedure has evolved into the gold standard for treatment of metastatic brain tumors and also can target primary small primary tumors, arteriovenous malformations (AVM), trigeminal neuralgia (TN), vestibular neuroma (VN) and other benign conditions.
As a result, patients who once faced grueling open surgery, lengthy hospital stays and taxing recovery periods can return almost immediately to their pretreatment activities. They also demonstrate improved long-term cognitive function compared to those who undergo whole-brain radiation.
Synergy S, meanwhile, can be effective on cancers throughout the body, including the lung, breast, prostate, pancreas, spine and liver, as well as on brain tumors not accessible by the Gamma Knife. The system pairs a linear accelerator with real-time visualization of internal structures, including soft tissues, in a three-dimensional format. The combination allows surgeons to blast cancerous growths and lesions with incredible accuracy, even if tumors or organs shift during radiation treatment.
Synergy S can help patients who are not surgical candidates and/or have difficult-to-reach cancers such as tiny lung tumors or a small metastasis away from the original disease site. By dramatically narrowing the treatment field, the system also benefits patients who have had previous doses of conventional radiation that have already impacted nearby tissues.
Stereotactic Radiation has constantly evolved since its initial introduction in 1951. In the last five years alone, we have made significant progress in our ability to immobilize patients during treatment; pinpoint, map and track cancers; and instantly switch radiation beams on and off based on even the most incremental tumor movement during surgery.
This innovative technology, made possible by a partnership between Riverside Health System, the University of Virginia Health System and Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, will continue to change the lives of cancer patients in Hampton Roads well into the future.
Dr. Amin practices at the Radiosurgery Center at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News. He is Board certified by the American Board of Radiation/Radiation Oncology and treats all cancer sites, with a special interest in head and neck tumors and prostate brachytherapy. riversideonline.com/cancer
