Stereotactic body radiosurgery allows us to zero in and treat the cancer very precisely with high dose while avoiding in general harm to healthy normal tissues. The concept is simple, beautiful and most commonly successful in delivery. We have currently followed patients up to 23 months with extracranial radiosurgery. Furthermore, we are in our 11th full year of brain radiosurgery for melanoma. All cancers have been controlled.
Control means cessation of growth, shrinkage or disappearance of the cancer.
Fifty percent of the cancers evaluated have actually decreased in size. The remainder have been halted in place. We believe the radiographic result is likely scarring. Thus, extracranial body radiosurgery offers treatment options for those with limited sites of disease or in whom symptoms are severe. Often it is the same patient who would undergo chemotherapy or surgery for the same situation.