After your first question posed to CSCMaryann (4 days ago) I decided, for my own benefit, to further research gammaknife versus cyberknife. As you know, I had a craniotomy just over a year ago so that operation had been my focus. However, now that I am on watch-and-wait for two other meningiomas, (and the neurosurgeon said we would only utilize radiation for those, if necessary) I wanted to get up to speed on gamma versus cyber. I usually only read information from Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, MD Anderson, UCSF, Stanford, Johns-Hopkins) but in my search I found this wonderful article, ""Cyberknife vs. Gammaknife," through" Summit Cancer Centers,
A Division of American Oncology Partners, P.A." After reading this, I have decided to go with Cyberknife. My conundrum is that only Gammaknife is offered at UCSF, where my neurosurgeon is. But I think there is a hospital in San Jose, about an hour from San Francisco, that is affiliated with UCSF, and offers only Cyberknife, where I can get the procedure done if that becomes necessary.
I had GK about 18 months ago. My meningioma was near my optic nerve and was 4+ cm which is large. My research showed GK has been used for 5cm and under. I have had no side effects. My neurosurgeon gave me a 90% success rate for the single GK treatment so I never considered proton therapy.
After your first question posed to CSCMaryann (4 days ago) I decided, for my own benefit, to further research gammaknife versus cyberknife. As you know, I had a craniotomy just over a year ago so that operation had been my focus. However, now that I am on watch-and-wait for two other meningiomas, (and the neurosurgeon said we would only utilize radiation for those, if necessary) I wanted to get up to speed on gamma versus cyber. I usually only read information from Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, MD Anderson, UCSF, Stanford, Johns-Hopkins) but in my search I found this wonderful article, ""Cyberknife vs. Gammaknife," through" Summit Cancer Centers,
A Division of American Oncology Partners, P.A." After reading this, I have decided to go with Cyberknife. My conundrum is that only Gammaknife is offered at UCSF, where my neurosurgeon is. But I think there is a hospital in San Jose, about an hour from San Francisco, that is affiliated with UCSF, and offers only Cyberknife, where I can get the procedure done if that becomes necessary.
A problem with information from a particular treatment center for what’s best can be biased by what treatment they offer. As you have found, some only offer one of the two and I would expect them to pick theirs as better. Some independent sources have mentioned GK is more precise targeting for brain tumors where CK can be used for other areas of the body more effectively and is more comfortable but takes time. Proton beam doesn’t seem to have a lot of research data available. I ran into that problem when I was treated for prostate cancer. PB was much more expensive but had no data showing it was better so insurance companies would not cover it. Maybe it is different for use in brain tumors.
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I believe that is why my neurosurgeon is pushing gamma knife. They don’t have proton therapy
I had GK about 18 months ago. My meningioma was near my optic nerve and was 4+ cm which is large. My research showed GK has been used for 5cm and under. I have had no side effects. My neurosurgeon gave me a 90% success rate for the single GK treatment so I never considered proton therapy.
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1 ReactionA problem with information from a particular treatment center for what’s best can be biased by what treatment they offer. As you have found, some only offer one of the two and I would expect them to pick theirs as better. Some independent sources have mentioned GK is more precise targeting for brain tumors where CK can be used for other areas of the body more effectively and is more comfortable but takes time. Proton beam doesn’t seem to have a lot of research data available. I ran into that problem when I was treated for prostate cancer. PB was much more expensive but had no data showing it was better so insurance companies would not cover it. Maybe it is different for use in brain tumors.
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Helpful -
Hug
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