Compare CyberKnife® at St. Mary's
See how CyberKnife® stands up next to other forms of treatment.
*Note: CyberKnife can be effective on its own. However, depending on your unique case, your doctor may recommend combining CyberKnife with other types of treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Talk to your doctor about what course of treatment is right for you.
| Other Cancer Treatments | vs. | CyberKnife |
|---|---|---|
| Other treatments can bring on the pain and discomfort of surgery and/or extreme fatigue and nausea. | Pain | CyberKnife offers a relaxing and pain-free procedure. No scalpels, no chemicals, no discomfort. |
| Hospital stays and/or extended periods of rest are often required. | Recovery | After your treatment, which takes 30-90 minutes, you are free to go. You will probably feel good enough to resume your daily activities right away. |
| You may be put under anesthesia or have your head shaved and bolted into a metal frame to minimize movement. | During Your Procedure | You are awake throughout your entire pain-free session. Because CyberKnife adjusts to your body movements, no uncomfortable metal head frame is necessary. We encourage you to bring your own music to enjoy during the treatment. |
| You may have a hospital stay with multiple visits after discharge. There is also a raised risk of infection. | Follow-up | After your CyberKnife treatment, you are free to go home. Most patients are done with treatment after 1-5 sessions. No incisions means a greatly reduced risk of infection. |
| Some cancers are too risky to operate on or can't be reached by other forms of stereotactic radiosurgery. | Inoperable Cancers | CyberKnife doesn't damage healthy surrounding tissue and has an unlimited range of motion, so it can treat many tumors that were once considered untreatable. |
