PANCREATIC CANCER

A precise, non-surgical option for pancreatic cancer

A proven treatment for inoperable pancreatic cancer.

The last few years have seen advances in the treatment of pancreatic cancer — particularly for the 80% or more of patients for whom surgery is not the best option. The CyberKnife System gives those living with pancreatic cancer a proven, non-surgical option that delivers a unique type of treatment called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with high robotic precision — effectively treating the cancer, while potentially helping to minimize the risk of certain side effects (such as gastric obstruction), in typically as little as 5 treatments. This makes the CyberKnife System a powerful option for locally advanced, medically inoperable pancreatic cancers, as well as in conjunction with surgery, chemotherapy and other treatments.

Unmatched precision — where it matters most.

The pancreas is an organ in the abdomen surrounded by other sensitive organs that all move with patients’ breathing. As a result, treatments designed to control the cancer or manage cancer-related pain run the risk of causing unfortunate side effects if they are not precisely administered. The CyberKnife System, the first and only robotic radiotherapy system, can deliver radiation beams with sub-millimeter precision and accuracy to the pancreatic tumor as it moves with normal patient breathing or other anatomical shifts. The CyberKnife System uses the world’s only real-time motion synchronization technology to continually track the target and automatically adapt the radiation beams position with movement of the tumor to make sure the beam stays precisely focused. This unmatched precision enables clinical teams to aggressively treat pancreatic cancer and helps to improve clinical outcomes, while potentially minimizing the risk of certain side effects that may impact patients’ quality of life.

Key CyberKnife^® treatment benefits

Radiation treatment is non-surgical and non-invasive
Clinical evidence of good cancer control
Can significantly minimize common side effects, such as gastric or duodenal obstruction
Treatments typically completed in as little as 5 sessions
Most patients can continue normal activity throughout treatment
Typically, does not require interruption of chemotherapy cycles
Can be used in combination with surgery, chemotherapy and other treatments

Ask a physician if CyberKnife treatment is right for you

You deserve the best possible treatment for your pancreatic cancer. Find a physician in your area offering the CyberKnife System — and find out if CyberKnife treatment is right for you.

Clinical Proof
Synchronized with Natural Breathing
A Non-Surgical Option
Enabling Re-Treatment
A Complementary Treatment Option

A clinically proven treatment for pancreatic cancer

The CyberKnife^® System is the first and only radiotherapy device that brings true robotic precision and real-time motion synchronization technology to pancreas cancer treatments. But this revolutionary treatment technology is not new; the CyberKnife System has more than two decades of clinical proof and has helped thousands of patients with pancreas cancer. The CyberKnife System is used to treat patients with advanced, medically inoperable pancreatic cancer and pancreatic cancer that has returned after primary treatment such as surgery or radiation. The entire course of treatment is typically completed in as little as 5 sessions.

A clinical study evaluating 56 patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer found that treatment with the combination of CyberKnife SBRT and chemotherapy resulted in excellent efficacy with acceptable toxicity. Use of the Synchrony^® Real-Time Adaptive Technology during the CyberKnife treatment enabled continuous tracking of tumors as they moved with patients’ respiration and automatic adaptation of the radiation beam, minimizing dose to healthy tissue such as the stomach and duodenum that surround the tumor.¹

A study of 59 patients evaluated the efficacy and safety of CyberKnife treatment for locally-advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). The authors concluded that, “excellent clinical efficacy was obtained after treatment of LAPC using CyberKnife, with minimal toxicity.” The majority of patients experienced good local control of their tumors. Local control of pancreatic tumors can improve pain control and reduce the risk of gastric or duodenal obstruction.⁶

The CyberKnife^® System tracks your breathing — and targets your tumor — in real-time

Your pancreas moves as you breathe. This means that a pancreatic tumor will continuously move throughout the course of treatment delivery. In addition, anatomical shifts (such as those due to normal digestion) can cause the pancreas to shift slightly.

Unlike any other radiation therapy device, the CyberKnife System uses the world’s only real-time motion synchronization technology to continually track that motion and adapt treatment delivery to maintain sub-millimeter accuracy. This helps to ensure the radiation dose is delivered to the target — maximizing treatment effectiveness while minimizing dose to surrounding tissues to potentially help reduce side effects. And unlike other radiotherapy options, the CyberKnife System does not require uncomfortable patient restraints or breath-hold techniques; you can relax and breathe normally, with full confidence in the CyberKnife’s synchronization capabilities.

A proven, non-surgical option

While surgical removal (resection) of a pancreatic tumor remains the ideal curative treatment, more than 80% of patients are not immediate candidates for surgery — because of the size, location or stage of the cancer and/or the patient’s health. For patients who are ineligible for surgery, SBRT treatment with the CyberKnife System may provide a powerful, non-surgical option.

CyberKnife SBRT can be used on its own to treat pancreatic cancer and/or can help to control pain.
CyberKnife SBRT can be used to reduce the size of a pancreatic tumor to enable surgical removal.
CyberKnife SBRT can be used in conjunction with chemotherapy.

Treatments with the CyberKnife System:

Enables re-treatment after previous radiation

Because the precise targeting of the CyberKnife System significantly reduces irradiation of surrounding healthy tissues, it can be a powerful treatment option for a range of pancreatic cancer patients. The CyberKnife System may provide an effective radiation treatment option even for some previously irradiated patients¹.

References:

Dagoglu N, Callery M, Moser J, et al. Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) Reirradiation for Recurrent Pancreas Cancer. J Cancer.2016 Jan 10;7(3):283-8.

A proven, complementary treatment option

Because of the characteristics of many pancreatic cancers, patients and their treatment teams need to be time-sensitive in evaluating treatment options. Compared to other non-surgical options like chemotherapy or conventional radiotherapy, CyberKnife SBRT offers a convenient treatment with minimal disruption to patients’ everyday lives.

TREATMENT COMPLETED IN AS
LITTLE AS 5 DAYS

CyberKnife treatment is typically completed in as little as 5 sessions, compared to 20 to 30 sessions over 4 to 6 weeks with conventional radiation therapy.

FEWER CLINIC VISITS

Patients spend less time driving to and from clinic visits, causing less disruption to their lives and the lives of those around them. Fewer clinic visits may also mean lower treatment costs, as many patients are responsible for co-pays on a per-visit basis.

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References:

1 Shen ZT, Zhou H, Li AM, et al. “Clinical outcomes and prognostic factors of stereotactic body radiation therapy combined with gemcitabine plus capecitabine for locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.” J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2020 Feb;146(2):417-428.

2 Zhu X, Li F, Ju X, et al. "Prognostic role of stereotactic body radiation therapy for elderly patients with advanced and medically inoperable pancreatic cancer." Cancer Med. 2017 Oct;6(10):2263-2270.

3 Goyal K, Einstein D, Ibarra RA, et al. “Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Nonresectable Tumors of the Pancreas.” J Surg Res. 2012;174:319–325.

4 Gurka MK, Kim C, He R, et al. “Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) combined with chemotherapy for unresected pancreatic adenocarcinoma.” Am J Clin. Oncol. 2017;40:152.

5 Dagoglu N, Callery M, Moser J, et al. Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) Reirradiation for Recurrent Pancreas Cancer. J Cancer.2016 Jan 10;7(3):283-8.

6 Song Y, Yuan Z, Li F, et al. “Analysis of clinical efficacy of CyberKnife® treatment for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.” OncoTargets Ther.2015;8:1427–1431.

7 Dagoglu N, Callery M, Moser J, et al. Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) Reirradiation for Recurrent Pancreas Cancer. J Cancer.2016 Jan 10;7(3):283-8.