All Posts tagged tumor

L.L. Finds Success With CyberKnife!

L.L. Finds Success With CyberKnife!
Comments Off on L.L. Finds Success With CyberKnife!

Dear Dr. Mak, Dr. Grace, Thomas, Edwin, Aileen, Paula and Edith:

Thank you all for taking such good care of me during the planning and delivery of my CyberKnife treatment.  I really appreciate the attentive and compassionate care that I have received the entire time I have been coming.  Thanks again!

~ L.L. (diagnosed with adrenal metastasis)

More

Lung Metastases Case Study

Here’s another case study we would like to share:

Amy (name has been changed to protect patient’s privacy) is a 48-year-old female diagnosed with bone sarcoma and underwent below-knee amputation of right leg 3 years ago.  Unfortunately, she developed multiple metastases in both lungs a year later.  She decided to undergo two aggressive surgeries and more than 10 lesions were removed from each lung.  She also received chemotherapy following the surgeries.

Earlier this year, Amy was found to have 2 recurrent lung metastases which are located in areas of the lung that are difficult to resect.  Her lung function has greatly decreased in the past 2 years due to the surgeries she underwent.  As a result, she was skeptical and went in search for other options.  One of her friends, who was recently treated at our center, advised her to contact us.  After consulting with Dr. Albert Mak and her medical oncologist, it was determined that she was a good candidate for the CyberKnife radiosurgery treatment.  Amy was still very nervous about this radiosurgical procedure we recommended because she did not want to undergo further surgery.  Although the name CyberKnife suggests scalpels, operating rooms and recovery time, it actually involves no incisions, no anesthesiano pain and no hospital stay.  The CyberKnife is indeed a knifeless outpatient procedure.  After careful consideration and weighing her options, Amy decided rather quickly to have the CyberKnife treatment.

Due to the size and location of her lesions, we recommended two separate courses of treatment.  During the first course of treatment, we focused on treating the larger tumor.  The first course was only 3 days, and each treatment took about 45 minutes.  The CyberKnife treatment is a painless and non-invasive procedure which was a big thumbs up for Amy.  Unlikely other radiosurgical devices, no immobilization device is needed for CyberKnife.  The robot continuously tracked Amy’s lung lesions and adjusted for movement.  As a result of this unique tracking capability only available with the CyberKnife system, Amy did not have to hold her breath during treatment and was able to breathe normally and relax comfortably.

Amy tolerated the short course of 3-day treatment very well.  She also underwent chemotherapy during the CyberKnife treatment.  It has been a month since her first treatment, and we are happy to report that the follow-up CT scan shows that the tumor was reduced by half.  She feels very optimistic and hopeful for the future, and will start her second course of treatment next week.

If you would like more information on CyberKnife treatment for lung cancer and pulmonary metastases, please do not hesitate to contact our center at 626-768-1021.

More

Do you want to learn more about the CyberKnife treatment?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the CyberKnife system for the treatment of tumors in the head, neck and cervicothoracic spine in 1999.  In August 2001, the CyberKnife system received clearance for treatment of tumors in any location of the body.

Although the CyberKnife system has been around for quite sometime now, not many people are familiar with this technology.  A few months ago, our Medical Director, Dr. Albert Mak, was invited to appear on the Healthline Show to talk about the CyberKnife Radiosurgery System and explain how it works.  Please take a look at the following YouTube video clips to learn more about the CyberKnife treatment available at our center.

Healthline – CyberKnife (Part I)

http://youtu.be/pgFUff–rK0

Healthline – CyberKnife (Part II)

http://youtu.be/QIuE7y_Z-po

Healthline – CyberKnife (Part III)

http://youtu.be/e9BdEnZPoTs

Healthline – CyberKnife (Part IV)

http://youtu.be/nq7Pbf9vCi0

Healthline – CyberKnife (Part V)

http://youtu.be/Ac3I8T4Jljw

Healthline – CyberKnife (Part VI)

http://youtu.be/xCQ6Be4f-74

We hope you find the video clips helpful and informative.  We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our patient, Jackie, for sharing her story on the show.  If you would like more information on the CyberKnife treatment, please don’t hesitate to contact the Pasadena CyberKnife Center at 626-768-1021.

More

Treating Trigeminal Neuralgia with CyberKnife

Did you know that the CyberKnife Radiosurgery is another treatment option for Trigeminal Neuralgia besides the Gamma Knife?  We recently treated a patient diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia who suffered from right-sided facial pain for over a year.  She lost 65 lbs because she was not able to chew or eat due to the pain.  Two weeks after her CyberKnife treatment, she reported 90% reduction in facial pain.  It has now been almost 4 months since her treatment, she is now pain-free and more importantly, can enjoy eating her favorite meal again.

Below is her testimonial:

“I am very satisfied with the CyberKnife radiosurgery.  I had not been able to eat and sometimes not even been able to talk over the past 16 months of having TN.  I lost 65 lbs, not because I wanted to, but because I couldn’t eat. I can eat now after a couple of weeks post-treatment and have put on 5 lbs.  I could hardly walk very far before and now I can walk just fine.  I couldn’t wear my bottom dentures before and now I can.  All is going just fine.” ~ B 

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a chronic condition that causes a stabbing or electric-shock-like pain in parts of the face.  It usually affects older adults but may affect anyone at any age.  Symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia include:

  • Very painful, sharp electric-like spasms that usually last a few seconds or minutes, but can become constant
  • Pain is usually only on one side of the face, often around the eye, cheek, and lower part of the face
  • Pain may be triggered by touch or sounds
  • Painful attacks can be triggered by common, everyday activities, such as brushing teeth, chewing, drinking, eating, lightly touching the face and shaving
It is often easy to mistake the pain of Trigeminal Neuralgia for a toothache or a headache.  If you suffer from facial pain, please consult your physician.
Resource:  PubMed Health http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/


More