CyberKnife X-ray Treatment of Primary or Metastatic Liver Cancers
CyberKnife treatment is a form of radiation therapy that consists of a precise radiosurgical delivery system that administers high energy x-rays, usually in one or two sessions, to tumors located within the body. It can be used to treat unresectable primary or metastatic cancers. At UPMC, it has been used to treat tumors of the spine, lung, and head/neck region. The Liver Cancer Center has been using the Cyberknife to treat metastatic liver cancers for four years with encouraging results.
To achieve local destruction of the tumor, several small gold BB-sized markers (fiducials) are injected into areas around the tumor that allow for pinpoint targeting of the cancer by the x-ray beams. After the fiducials are placed, a planning CT scan is obtained to identify the tumor and map the x-ray field. Following the CT scan, the patient returns at a later visit for the actual treatment which can often be done in a single four-to five-hour session. The patients are awake during the treatment, and it is usually painless.
The entire treatment is under the direction of a specialized radiation oncology team of doctors and physicists that carefully calculate the dose of radiation after being referred from the Liver Cancer Center. Follow-up CT scans are done at routine intervals to assess for destruction of the cancer and to monitor for any recurrences.