BRAIN TUMORS

Side Effects

Potential side effects of CyberKnife^® treatment for brain cancer

Treatment with the CyberKnife System is well-tolerated with a low risk of toxicity. Side effects associated with CyberKnife treatment are usually mild and temporary. As with any radiation treatment, side effects can also be severe in some patients and lead to permanent injury or even death. Discuss your specific case with your physician/s to fully understand the potential risks associated with your treatment. Possible side effects could include but not limited to:

Headache
Increased intracranial pressure expressed by:
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache
Orthostatic hypotension
Seizures
Edema (causing headache)
Necrosis

Managing side effects with your medical team

Prior to beginning CyberKnife treatment, your medical team will discuss all possible side effects and may prescribe medication to control any side effects, should they occur.

Protecting healthy tissue — protecting quality of life.

Treatment with the CyberKnife System is well-tolerated with a low risk of toxicity. Despite the high dose rate associated with SRS, the CyberKnife System has been proven to deliver radiation with sub-millimeter precision, which means minimal radiation is delivered to the healthy brain tissues that surround the lesion or tumor¹. This can significantly reduce the risk of the most common side effects of traditional radiation therapy, including fatigue and cognitive impairments to memory and concentration — and can protect the sensitive tissues involved in important functions such as motor control, touching, hearing and vision. Most patients can quickly return to their daily routines with little interruption to their normal activities.

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Reference:

1 Antypas et al. “Performance Evaluation of a CyberKnife® G4 image-guided robotic stereotactic radiosurgery system.” Physics in Medicine and Biology.53;(2008)4697-4718.