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St. Louis - South,
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Patients now have the option to receive advanced, non-invasive radiation therapy closer to home with the addition of CyberKnife robotic technology at David M. Sindelar Cancer Center on the Mercy Hospital South St. Louis campus.
CyberKnife uses highly precise radiation to treat complex cancers and non-cancerous tumors without incisions. The precise targeting delivers high doses of radiation while avoiding surrounding healthy tissues and tracks real-time movements, including breathing. The Food and Drug Administration has approved CyberKnife for the treatment of certain operable, inoperable and surgically complex tumors.
“This advanced technology improves the care we can provide our patients, especially those who may have limited options,” said Dr. Jenny Shaffer, Mercy radiation oncologist. “But this is about more than just technology. It allows our patients to receive treatment closer to home and in fewer treatments than traditional radiation.”
In order to accommodate the CyberKnife robotic system, crews expanded the Sindelar Cancer Center, which opened in 2020, adding a specially designed room in the radiation oncology department.
“Bringing care where it’s needed is exactly what the Sisters of Mercy set out to do,” said Sean Hogan, Mercy South St. Louis Communities president. “CyberKnife and the entire Sindelar Cancer Center are tremendous resources, and not just for the immediate south St. Louis County area. For anyone living south of us in Missouri and to the east of us in southern Illinois, we are the nearest major hospital, so it’s critical we have the latest advancements in medicine available.”
CyberKnife is used to treat a variety of cancers in the brain, head, neck, spine, lung, prostate, abdomen and certain gynecologic tumors. Built-in image guidance and the robotic system enables the device to move around the body at different angles, delivering highly precise treatment to the tumor only. The motion management system adjusts for breathing, coughing and other muscle movements.
A single treatment typically lasts 20 minutes to an hour. Depending on the type of tumor, treatment may take only one day or up to a few weeks, all significantly shorter time frames than traditional radiation therapy. Patients feel no pain during treatment, require no anesthesia and often return to their usual activities the same day.
“CyberKnife will allow us to treat only the tumor, avoiding the healthy tissue around it. This leads to fewer side effects for our patients and overall better quality of life,” Dr. Shaffer said.
In addition to Sindelar Cancer Center, Mercy offers CyberKnife at David C. Pratt Cancer Center at Mercy St. Louis and C.H. Chub O’Reilly Cancer Center at Mercy Springfield.
