Among a wide variety of cancer treatment protocols at Beaumont is radiosurgery, a noninvasive treatment method that uses highly focused radiation beams to attack a tumor while sparing the surrounding tissue.
What is radiosurgery?
Stereotactic radiosurgery is a highly successful cancer treatment alternative to traditional surgery. During this outpatient procedure, patients receive treatment for one to five days. Because it is noninvasive, there is less risk of complications. Used to treat cancers of the brain and body sites, including the lungs, liver, adrenal gland, kidney, spine, breast, and prostate, stereotactic radiosurgery has demonstrated effectiveness for treating newly diagnosed and recurrent cancers. Beaumont also uses
Gamma Knife
.
What can I expect with radiosurgery?
Similar to other radiation therapies, you will undergo a simulation to ensure the most effective treatment plan. You may also experience side effects similar to other radiation therapies.
What are the benefits of radiosurgery?
Historically, patients with a solitary lung or liver metastasis, for example, would have open surgery to remove the tumor. This requires several days of inpatient recovery. Radiosurgery, a noninvasive outpatient procedure, eliminates the stress and lengthy recovery of open surgery.