lung tumors: st. louis cyberknife treatment overview

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1011 Bowles Ave. Suite G-50, Fenton, MO 63026 (636) 496-4660 www.stlouiscyberknife.com

A lung tumor diagnosis can be scary. Learn more about lung tumors and how we can help. Please note: We encourage consumers to thoroughly review and understand all treatment op8ons. The informa8on presented here is not all-‐inclusive. Rather, it represents a star8ng point to learn more about medical condi8ons and treatment op8ons. There is no subs,tute for consul,ng a medical professional.


http://www.stlouiscyberknife.com/conditions-treated/lung-tumors/

Lung Tumors and Their Symptoms

The vast majority of primary lung cancers are malignant and known as carcinomas. The most common cancer diagnosis in the world, lung cancer is also the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

Symptoms •  Coughing •  Wheezing •  Shortness of breath •  Coughing up blood •  Unexplained weight loss •  Pneumonia or other infec?ons


How does CyberKnife treat lung tumors? Prior to stereotac?c body radia?on therapy, doctors may have to implant between three and six small metal markers known as fiducials in or near the tumor that enable the CyberKnife to pinpoint the tumor loca?on during treatment. ImplanEng the markers is an outpaEent procedure that takes about an hour. About a week later, pa?ents are fiEed with a custom body mold made of soF material that they lie on during treatment. The fiFng process is painless. The treatment process includes: I.  Consulta?on appointment II.  Pretreatment procedures III.  CyberKnife treatment IV.  Follow-‐up


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhqJfnHFO0E

ConsultaEon and Pretreatment Procedures St. Louis CyberKnife physicians, therapists and nurses are focused on your individualized plan for treatment. •  You will meet a St. Louis CyberKnife radia?on oncologist to decide if CyberKnife treatment is

appropriate for your diagnosis. •  Your CyberKnife team will decide which pretreatment procedures you may need to help

develop your treatment plan. These could include a CT scan, an MRI, laboratory studies or ?ssue markers.

•  The data from your pretreatment procedures will be used by the CyberKnife team to

determine the exact size, shape and loca?on of your tumor.

•  This informa?on will indicate the size of the area being treated with radia?on, the radia?on dose and cri?cal structures where radia?on exposure should be minimized.


CyberKnife Treatment Typically treatment is completed within five sessions. On the day of your treatment: 1.  A therapist will help you onto the treatment

table and fit the body mold. Pa?ents are observed throughout the treatment on a closed-‐circuit television, and they can pause treatment at any ?me by waving or speaking to the therapists.

2.  While the CyberKnife’s advanced tracking system accounts for movements like breathing, you’re asked to lie s?ll during treatments. The system periodically takes x-‐ray images and compares them to the CT scan data to make sure the radia?on beam is locked on the tumor.

3.  Pa?ents can usually return to their normal rou?nes once the treatment is complete.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION •  Treatment procedures take about 30 – 90

minutes, depending on the complexity of your tumor.

•  Pa?ents are asked to wear comfortable clothing during CyberKnife treatments. Jewelry is acceptable unless it is close to the area being treated.

•  Feel free to bring an iPod® or your favorite music CDs with you on the day of your treatment and we will play them for you during the procedure.


AddiEonal Resources


Our Center St. Louis CyberKnife is a service of SSM Cancer Care, which is accredited by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer for its comprehensive cancer program. Our doctors are board-‐cer?fied in radia?on oncology and have several areas of specialty, including head and neck cancers and prostate, lung and breast cancers. Our CyberKnife nurse navigator is an integral part of our pa?ent care approach, providing clinical support and care coordina?on for our pa?ents and their families. View a list of our radia?on oncologists.

Our Staff CyberKnife Nurse Navigator: Vicki HartneE, RN OCN Site Administrator: Jennifer Moore, RN BSN OCN Physicist: Dr. Mark Pohlman, PhD DABR Dosimetrist: Insoo Moon CyberKnife Therapist: Susan Barnhart, RTT CyberKnife Therapist: Ryan Menke, RTT OperaEons Coordinator: Andy Law, LPN

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lung tumors: st. louis cyberknife treatment overview

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