Now there is a treatment option for tumors and lesions nearly anywhere in the body, including in the brain, lung, neck and spine that may have been previously considered inoperable or inaccessible by radiation therapy. The CyberKnife also allows for treatment of the liver, pancreas and early stage prostate cancer.

Saint Louis University Hospital operates the CyberKnife Systems out of two convenient locations:

Midtown St. Louis –

Saint Louis University Hospital
3635 Vista Ave
St. Louis, Missouri 63110

Lake St. Louis –

Lake Saint Louis Oncology
H.W. Koenig Medical Building
400 Medical Plaza Suite 125
Lake Saint Louis, Missouri 63367

Potential Benefits of CyberKnife Treatment

·         better quality of life during and after treatment

·         better access to hard-to-reach, larger or previously inoperable tumors

·         more accurate radiation targeting for minimal radiation exposure to surrounding tissue

·         ability to treat multiple tumors in different locations during a single session

·         treatment of lesions that have previously undergone the maximum allowed dose of traditional radiation therapy

·         improved comfort due to the elimination of an invasive head frame

·         no incision or scalpel

·         no blood loss

·         no anesthesia required for treatment

·         no recovery time

·         immediate return to normal activities

·         fewer complications than traditional surgery such as infection, hemorrhage or nerve damage

·         two convenient locations

Conditions Treated With the CyberKnife

·         Malignant brain tumors: astrocytomas, gliomas, intracranial metastases, nasopharyngeal carcinomas

·         Benign brain tumors: acoustic neuromas, benign intracranial, craniopharngiomos, hemangioblastomas, meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, schwannomas

·         Vascular malformations: arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), cavernous malformations

·         Extracranial tumors and lesions: base of skull, head and neck, spine/bone (cervical, lumbar, thoracic, sacral, pelvic), liver, lung, pancreas and prostate

Frequently Asked Questions About CyberKnife Treatments

What is CyberKnife radiosurgery?
CyberKnife radiosurgery is a noninvasive radiation treatment that can be used as an alternative to open surgery in certain cases. It uses image-guided robotics designed to destroy tumors with precisely directed beams of radiation. It may improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for some patients with malignant and benign lesions nearly anywhere in the body.

The CyberKnife uses high doses of focused radiation beams delivered from multiple points outside the body to irradiate the tumor or lesion. Each individual beam is not sufficient to cause harm, but the convergence of all the beams at the target results in the tumor or lesion receiving a very high dose of radiation while sparing nearby normal tissue.

The CyberKnife's targeting system may offer many patients improved tumor control with few side effects and fewer treatments. In fact, treatment that may have required as many as 30 sessions with conventional radiation therapy may be reduced to one to five sessions for 60 to 90 minutes each.

How does the CyberKnife work?
The CyberKnife, paired with other hospital imaging technology, allows our specialists to customize a treatment plan for each patient. Our physicists use a complex program to determine a treatment plan for each patient based on the unique shape and location of the tumor. The planning process determines the positions of the beams of radiation.

Through the use of technology, the CyberKnife system locates the position of the tumor and uses a robotic arm to deliver highly focused beams of radiation to the tumor. The robotic arm's range of motion allows for radiation to be delivered to tumor sites that are unreachable when using most other stereotactic treatment procedures.

Because of its high precision, the CyberKnife at Saint Louis University Hospital can, without surgical incisions, go inside the body to achieve a surgical-like treatment.

What conditions are treated with the CyberKnife at Saint Louis University Hospital?
Specialists at Saint Louis University Hospital are using this tool to treat tumors nearly anywhere in the body, including brain tumors and tumors on or near the spine, lungs, pancreas, prostate and liver. In addition to treating newly diagnosed tumors, it can be used to treat sites that have had prior radiotherapy, an option that may be impossible with standard radiation techniques.

What are the steps for treatment?
On the first visit, we will produce a set of CT and MRI images of the tumor and surrounding tissues.  These images will be used for planning the treatment.

Radiosurgery using the CyberKnife generally requires one to fine treatments. Before treatment begins, intracranial patients will have a non-invasive customized facemask constructed. For the spine and other body areas, a non-invasive custom device is prepared to immobilize the head and body.

Patients being treated for tumors or lesions outside the head or spine may need to undergo placement of “fiducials” or special markers near the tumor prior to treatment. Placement of the fiducials is done as a minor outpatient procedure using local anesthetic.

On the day of the actual treatment, the patient rests in a relaxed environment while the robotic arm of the CyberKnife delivers radiation. All treatments are on an outpatient basis and typically last between one and two hours. Afterward, patients can return to normal activities with little to no side effects.

Who will be involved in my treatment?
A specially trained team of highly qualified medicine experts operates the CyberKnife. Team members include a surgeon, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, physicist, radiation therapy technicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

How do I schedule a CyberKnife treatment?
Our physicians need to carefully review each potential patient's medical history and clinical condition to determine whether or not the CyberKnife is an appropriate treatment option.

Bring the following items to your appointment:

Before actual treatment can be scheduled, our physicians will give you a comprehensive examination. Before you arrive at our center for your evaluation, please ask your doctor to provide you with the following items so you can bring them with you:

·         your most recent imaging studies such as CT, MRI, PET/CT, etc., and prior studies for comparison (images on a CD-ROM are preferred)

·         records of any prior tests, medical, surgical or radiation treatments

·         dates of medical procedures related to your condition such as surgery, radiation or chemotherapy

·         audiogram results (if applicable – ask your doctor)

·         vision tests (if applicable – ask your doctor)

·         endocrine studies (if applicable – ask your doctor)

Contact Us

If you are interested in the CyberKnife, you or your physician can contact us at:

1-866-40cyber.

For more information, visit CyberKnifestlouis.com.

For more information regarding CyberKnife clinical studies, including the current studies focusing on early stage prostate cancer and early stage lung cancer, call 314-268-5936.