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February 14, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sarah Tiambeng, Zehnder Communications, (504) 962-3731, saraht@z-comm.com
Illinois CyberKnife Releases Annual Brain Tumor Treatment Numbers
Brain tumors are now the second most frequently treated disease at the suburban Chicago cancer
treatment center, encompassing nearly half of all patients treated in 2012.
PARK RIDGE, Ill. – Illinois CyberKnife has treated more than 70 brain tumor cases since opening in
November 2011, accounting for nearly 50 percent of the center’s patients last year.
Illinois CyberKnife treats brain tumors with an advanced procedure called stereotactic radiosurgery
(SRS) using CyberKnife®
technology. During treatment, precisely targeted, high-dose radiation
beams are delivered to the tumor from a variety of angles.
Unlike conventional surgery for brain tumors, which can last several hours and typically requires
general anesthesia and a hospital stay, CyberKnife treats brain tumors noninvasively in an outpatient
procedure, allowing patients to return to their normal activities following treatment.
“While the name may invoke images of knives or scalpels, CyberKnife is actually a nonsurgical
treatment option that does not require incisions or sedation,” said Illinois CyberKnife medical director
Dr. Arica Hirsch. “For patients who are appropriate candidates, this technology can provide an
effective alternative for treating inoperable or surgically complex brain tumors.”
Based on the campus of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in the northwest Chicago suburbs,
Illinois CyberKnife has drawn patients from bordering states, including Wisconsin, seeking a
noninvasive alternative to traditional brain tumor treatment. More than 70 percent of Illinois
CyberKnife’s brain tumor patients have traveled from outside the hospital’s typical service area to
receive treatment at the center.
“Our team has developed a great deal of expertise treating brain tumor patients with CyberKnife
stereotactic radiosurgery,” said Dr. Hirsch. “We hope to use our experience treating this disease to
spread awareness of CyberKnife’s capabilities and unique advantages for treating brain tumors.”
CyberKnife treatment for brain tumors is usually completed in a single session, but treatment could
take up to five sessions depending on the individual diagnosis. In contrast, conventional radiation
therapy for brain tumors may require consecutive treatments five days per week for up to six weeks.
In addition to treating brain tumors, Illinois CyberKnife treats malignant and benign tumors in the
prostate, spine, lung, liver, pancreas, kidney and eye. CyberKnife may not be an appropriate
treatment for all brain tumor patients.
Illinois CyberKnife is a department of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and is located at 1700
Luther Lane, Suite 1110, Park Ridge, Ill. 60068. For more information, call (847) 723-0100.