Cyberknife and NPC

Hondo
Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My doctor told me today that I need to keep my options open to the future; he thinks that Cyberknife would benefit me. They have also told me for the passed 3 years now that I need to get back on more Chemo, I can’t understand why.

For the passed 3 years all the PET scans show an area in my left nasal that might or might not be cancer, they can’t tell. I did a biopsy about a year ago even it did not come back 100% positive, it left a question as to whether it was cancer or badly damaged scar tissue.

February will make 5 years from my last radiation and Chemo. I am working, feeling good except for the side affects from all the treatment I was giving. So I don’t understand why now the Cyberknife thing.

Has anyone here done this Cyberknife thing, what are the side affects, did it make a different.

Comments

  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    #2
    Hi Hondo,

    I had the Cyberknife Stereotatic Radiosurgery in September for NSCLC adenocarcinoma in my left lung but I'm not sure if this is what you are referring to. If it is the Stereotatic Radiosurgery procedure you are referring to please let me know and I will explain the whole procedure to you, it is similar to the more traditional radiation treatments but is much more accurate and does not destroy the good cells. It was a piece of cake compared to the 35 radiation treatments I received to my larynx earlier this summer.

    Please let me know if this is the type of treatment your doctor is talking about and I will give you all the info you need. It's been 2 weeks since I finished my treatments (they only did 4 sessions) and the only side effect I have is mild fatigue, no redness or burning on my skin.

    I will watch for your reply, take care and God Bless.
    Glenna
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #3
    Glenna M said:

    Hi Hondo,

    I had the Cyberknife Stereotatic Radiosurgery in September for NSCLC adenocarcinoma in my left lung but I'm not sure if this is what you are referring to. If it is the Stereotatic Radiosurgery procedure you are referring to please let me know and I will explain the whole procedure to you, it is similar to the more traditional radiation treatments but is much more accurate and does not destroy the good cells. It was a piece of cake compared to the 35 radiation treatments I received to my larynx earlier this summer.

    Please let me know if this is the type of treatment your doctor is talking about and I will give you all the info you need. It's been 2 weeks since I finished my treatments (they only did 4 sessions) and the only side effect I have is mild fatigue, no redness or burning on my skin.

    I will watch for your reply, take care and God Bless.
    Glenna

    Can't they compare the three scans?
    If you have 3 scans why can't they compare them and see if there is a change in the size of suspicious area or a change in the sugar uptake? From what I know, cancer does not stay the same, it should have grown by now if its cancer? Ask them for copies of all your scans and do your own comparison. Then pose your questions. If you have reasonable trust in what they say then why not the cyberknife, can't be as bad as what we already have gone through.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    ratface said:

    Can't they compare the three scans?
    If you have 3 scans why can't they compare them and see if there is a change in the size of suspicious area or a change in the sugar uptake? From what I know, cancer does not stay the same, it should have grown by now if its cancer? Ask them for copies of all your scans and do your own comparison. Then pose your questions. If you have reasonable trust in what they say then why not the cyberknife, can't be as bad as what we already have gone through.

    Hi Glenna / Ratface
    I have no problem about doing the Cyberknife and wish it was around before I did my second round of Radiation back in 05; I believe it would have save me a lot of misery.

    As you stated ratface, I am just very confused about what I am being told and I am starting to wonder if the doctors are also confused. I told my Oncologist what I want to do is another PTE in December if it showed no change then all this talk about Cyberknife needs to go away, I sometime wonder if it is not just a money thing.

    Anyway thanks for your help, take care and God bless
  • Christmas
    Christmas Member Posts: 100
    #5
    Hondo said:

    Hi Glenna / Ratface
    I have no problem about doing the Cyberknife and wish it was around before I did my second round of Radiation back in 05; I believe it would have save me a lot of misery.

    As you stated ratface, I am just very confused about what I am being told and I am starting to wonder if the doctors are also confused. I told my Oncologist what I want to do is another PTE in December if it showed no change then all this talk about Cyberknife needs to go away, I sometime wonder if it is not just a money thing.

    Anyway thanks for your help, take care and God bless

    Cyberknife
    Hi, Honda:

    I had the Cyberknife as part of my Stage II NPC treatment in Dec 2003. I was told that it was extra insurance to zap the tumor after the radiation. I had a Cyberknife a month after my radiation. It's a very easy process done with lots of computer work. There were many check ups afterward to make sure that I didn't have any neurological problems.

    Maybe your doctors are recommending the Cyberknife as a treatment to get your tumor cells(if there's any more around) once and for all.

    There was a forum for Cyberknife questions with doctors responding. Not sure if it's still around. You might check to see if there are any postings that can help you make a decision.

    Sending best wishes and postive thoughts your way --
    Christmas
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #6
    Christmas said:

    Cyberknife
    Hi, Honda:

    I had the Cyberknife as part of my Stage II NPC treatment in Dec 2003. I was told that it was extra insurance to zap the tumor after the radiation. I had a Cyberknife a month after my radiation. It's a very easy process done with lots of computer work. There were many check ups afterward to make sure that I didn't have any neurological problems.

    Maybe your doctors are recommending the Cyberknife as a treatment to get your tumor cells(if there's any more around) once and for all.

    There was a forum for Cyberknife questions with doctors responding. Not sure if it's still around. You might check to see if there are any postings that can help you make a decision.

    Sending best wishes and postive thoughts your way --
    Christmas

    Christmas


    My wife is Honda, I am Hondo, but it is OK because people are always getting us confused, I guess after being married 34 years we are even starting to look like each other. Thanks for the info, I guess it is like a lot of things when you just don’t know, just the sound of it Cyber Knife make me think of the movie Terminator and I am not ready to be Terminated just yet. I will keep an open mind and see what my PET looks like next month. Thanks again.

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