The Secret Weapon To Help Michael Douglas if his Head and Neck Cancer returns

Jan. 26, 2011 - PRLog -- I cannot understand why Michael Douglas was diagnosed at an advanced stage IV cancer. My hope is that, the following information will help him in the future and continue to buy him time and keep him cancer free as long as possible.
 
Widely published data has shown the median survival of patients such as Michael Douglas with a stage IV Head and Neck cancer treated with chemotherapy and radiation to be about 4 years.

Most of the reasons for these kind of mediocre results is the substantial risk of the cancer coming back in the same area of the original cancer. For patients who receive radiation therapy as part of cancer treatment to a specific area, the head and neck in the case of Michael Douglas, further radiation therapy using routine radiation equipment is not possible.
There are two reasons why this is true:
1. The first reason is that, each part of our body can handle only a set amount of radiation over a life time and so when radiation is used for cancer treatment, we as Radiation Oncologists push the amount of radiation close to those levels.
2.The second reason is that each part of the body REMEMBERS how much radiation it has received over a life time.
Therefore, once radiation is used to treat cancer in any part of the body and has received a full dose already, any further radiation to that area at any time in the future is fraught with danger and risk of significant and substantial side effects. So, if unfortunately, the cancer returns in the same area where the initial treatments were given, the prognosis takes a huge nosedive. Most of these patients, till recently were given some form of chemotherapy with really poor results or had to endure high risk surgery with substantial loss of function and cosmesis. For the most part the outlook was bleak.
This was true till recently.
The expert Radiation Oncologists at Coastal Cyber-knife and Radiation Oncology in Saint Lucie County, Florida (www.coastalcyberknife.com) have a new weapon on their hands to help patients with this dire situation. Cyber-knife Robotic Radiosurgery has come to the rescue of exactly these kinds of patients. This technology has allowed re-treatment of these recurrent cancers with substantial doses of radiation precisely targeted to the tumor giving unprecedented ability to cure these tumors safely, quickly and effectively. The number of treatments that is generally given is between 1 to 5 and is painless with the ability of the patients ready to return to their routine activities the very same day. This concentrated, pin point precision radiation maximizes local control of these tumors, thus prolonging their lives with dignity at better functional levels.

As Dr. Crook, added, “ Where most cancer centers in the area are struggling with old and outdated equipment, We at Coastal Cyberknife have made it our mission to bring new hope to our patients with difficult situations and previously untreatable conditions. With our cutting edge technology with Cyberknife Robotic Radiosurgery System and an excellent support team of physicians, physicists and technologists, we provide a level of service that is unparalleled in Florida.

Coastal Cyberknife and Radiation Oncology has identified several key steps most important to patients who present with advanced disease and are at risk of recurrent cancers when it comes to saving lives:

•   Close follow up of patients with advanced cancers
•   Immediate recognition of signs and symptoms of recurrent cancer
•   Imaging studies with biopsies to confirm recurrent cancer and documentation of the extent of disease
•   Prepare, plan and treat with Cyberknife Robotic Radiosurgery
•   Continued closed surveillance

These critical steps are just part of an entire process that gives patients a new lease on life.
Sadly, the majority of cancer centers do not have the technology to tackle such serious situations and patients are ill informed about their options and end up with the poor outcomes that inevitably comes about.
Cyberknife Robotic Radiosurgery should be explored as an option to retreat areas of cancer that has been previously treated with routine and standard radiation therapy.

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About Coastal Cyberknife and Radiation Oncology. It is an independent, free standing comprehensive Cancer treatment center located on the Treasure Coast of Florida in Saint Lucie County and has been recognized as a leader in Radiation Cancer care. Dr. Kumar and Dr. Crook are co-founders and have a passion for helping patients and their families with cancer to get the outcomes and the support that they deserve. Their personal experiences with cancer is what drives them to continue to innovate and bring in cutting edge technology to this area of Florida. They continue to help thousands of patients not only locally but also from the Caribbean and South America.
Dr. Kumar is board certified in Radiation Oncology and is an active member of ASTRO, American Society for Radiation Oncology.
www.coastalcyberknife. http://curingcancerofthemind.com