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Health Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM


New Technology Targets Tumors in Five Days or Less
By Anthony Addesa, MD
Jun 6, 2016 - 12:00:55 PM

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It is the one word no one ever wants to hear their doctor say — cancer. The good news is that with proper interventions, a growing number of patients can now continue to live full lives following their initial diagnosis thanks in large part to the new medical technology and treatments now available.

In the past, having a cancerous tumor removed meant undergoing invasive surgery and recuperating in the hospital for days. Thankfully, as a radiation oncologist today, I have access to leading-edge technology that enables me to target and eliminate many types of tumors – especially those considered inoperable – without even making an incision. As this technology is not available in the Bahamas, we are starting to see patients from Nassau and other parts of the islands making the short trip to Jupiter Medical Center in Palm Beach County, Florida, for this innovative treatment.

Stereotactic radiosurgery destroys tumors with extremely precise, very intense doses of radiation while minimizing damage to healthy tissue, offering accuracy akin to the sharpness of a surgeon’s scalpel. However, there’s no traditional surgery, anesthesia or hospital stay required. In fact, it’s a pain-free cancer treatment.

Jupiter Medical Center was the first center in the Southeastern United States with the new CyberKnife® M6TM System, a revolutionary advance in radiosurgery. Because of the expertise we have gained using this novel technology, physicians from around the world are coming to our Medical Center to learn from our experience and receive training.

Having performed stereotactic radiosurgery for more than 15 years now, I can attest that the M6 system is a leap forward in cancer care. It can treat tumors anywhere in the body, from the lungs to the brain to the prostate, and is the best radiation oncology solution I have ever used for targeting, tracking and adjusting in real-time to moving targets with extreme precision and accuracy.

With lung cancer in particular, the challenge we face is that the tumor or tumors move as the patient breathes. A unique and important feature of the CyberKnife System is its tracking technology that enables continuous coordination with a patient’s tumor movement during treatment. Because of the CyberKnife System’s sub-millimeter accuracy and ability to adjust in realtime, a patient can be confident their tumor is being treated while the surrounding healthy tissue and organs are spared.

Unlike other radiation systems, the CyberKnife System is able to treat patients in one to five days as opposed to what can be months of other forms of daily radiation treatment. This is another reason why patients from abroad are willing to travel to receive this treatment at our Medical Center. Thanks to the CyberKnife System’s extreme accuracy, we are able to deliver the maximum radiation dose very precisely. Patients who are appropriate for this therapy – whether they’re from the Bahamas or anywhere else –can receive treatment and go back home in roughly a week. What’s more, their brief course of radiation is pain-free.

Cancer isn’t a choice. Your treatment is, and choosing world-class oncology care is worth going the extra mile. At Jupiter Medical Center, we provide advanced medicine with a boutique, concierge experience in the tropical destination of Palm Beach County, Florida. Our Global Medicine team will personally coordinate the entire process for your, from financial arrangements to medical records, all physician and hospital appointments, and even your travel arrangements. We are committed to providing personalized assistance and taking care of the details so patients can focus their energy on getting well.To learn more about the Cyberknife technology or Jupiter Medical Center’s Global Medicine Program, call +001 (561) 263-5050 or visit www.jupitermedglobal.com.


Anthony Addesa, MD
Board Certified Radiation Oncology
Medical Director of Radiation Oncology
At the Foshay Cancer Center, Jupiter Medical Center, FL


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