Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer
Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) also known as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is a precise, painless, non-invasive radiation treatment that utilizes very accurately targeted, large 鈥渒illing鈥 doses of radiation. This non-invasive treatment has proven to be an effective alternative to surgery or conventional radiation for treating many small tumors and other select medical disorders. At the Baylor St. Luke鈥檚 Kirby Glen Radiation and CyberKnife facility, the CyberKnife system is utilized to deliver SBRT/SABR. It is the world鈥檚 first and only radiosurgery system designed to treat tumors anywhere in the body with sub-millimeter accuracy. Baylor St. Luke鈥檚 Radiation Therapy and CyberKnife Center is the only public center in Houston to offer CyberKnife radiosurgery.
Using image guidance technology and computer-controlled robotics, the CyberKnife system is designed to continually track, detect and correct for tumor and patient movement throughout the treatment. Because of its extreme precision, the CyberKnife system does not require invasive head or body frames to stabilize patient movement, vastly increasing the system鈥檚 flexibility. The CyberKnife procedure requires no anesthesia, can be performed on an outpatient basis and allows for the treatment of patients that otherwise would not have been treated with radiation or who may not have been good candidates for surgery. In addition, the CyberKnife procedure avoids many of the potential risks and complications that are associated with other treatment options.
