Cyber Knife

I am wondering if anyone has information regarding any loved ones surviving PC with this procedure.  My brother has PC.  It is wrapped around a blood vessel (and/or artery?)  He is in a clinical trial ..using a trial drug...and chemo and radiation.  Seems there is always something coming up to delay the treatments... I am starting to wonder if he is being kept in this trial....for their own good.....and we should research other options.  I asked his doctors about the Cyber Knife, and they say it is used for brain tumors...not PC...however, I know this is not true!!  Anyone recommend getting the heck out of the trial and giving the Cyber Knife a try??? 

We had a consult re: CK for my mother, her radiation oncologist did not recommend for her specifically due to location/size of tumor so she just completed 3D conformal with Xeloda.  However, I know they will do CK if they think it is appropriate and beneficial. You must got to a hospital that has experience with CK and pancreas cancer, it was originally developed for brain tumors but yes, you're correct it is being used in many other types now including pancreas.  Has your brother began treatment yet?  What types of delays are you speaking of, his blood work?

 

 

My brother has had several weeks of chemo and now is having chemo once a week and radiation 5 days a week.  He is in the first round of this, I believe.  They keep finding fluid (ascites?) in or around the abdomen and then the treatments come to a grinding stop...it takes about 5 days to arrange a procedure to extract the fluid and test it...several more days to verify if it is cancerous...then more days to get the chemo/radiation rescheduled!  This fluid has come back noncancerous three times, but they keep testing it.  It delays his much needed treatments.....but, as he is in this clinincal trial....if the cancer spreads...or does not begin to shrink...the radiation will stop....and basically they will have given up......very frustrating for all... 

He does not have insurance, yet another problem.  Medicaid is in the final stages of being approved, thus I understand some doctors will still accept some medicaid patients.  We have to wait till it is approved before approaching a doctor for a consultation................ 

My father while alive sought out a consult for the cyberknife to treat his PC.  It was advertised everywhere that they do it on PC.  BUT..once he went there he was told they do not treat primary PC at all.  They just don't have enough experience with it.  He was crushed after this consult.  He was hoping this was going to be the answer to his PC.  He believed in the cyberknife soooo much.  He was also very angry afterwards because he said why in the heck did they advertise that they treat PC and then he finds out different.  I felt horrible for him.  Anyhow that was his experience.

This is very confusing.  I was told the same at I U Medical Center.  But, I have read and heard otherwise.  I attended the Panceatic Cancer Symposium in Tampa yesterday (March 1) and the CK was discussed.  Evidently,they are just getting the Ck very soon, and an individual was told to bring in his scans, etc. by the head of surgery!!  Also, we have contacted a CK center in Indianapolis, and they also do it.  Perhaps, it depends on where it is in the pancreas, etc....but this individual was sitting right next to me at lunch,and we were discussing this with this doctor!.  This person, like my brother, has the cancer wrapped around a blood vessel.  So, I am guessing that not everyone has access to the CK ....and perhaps, most doctors are not skilled on using it...at least on the pancreas ????   

Jrlos..the delay in treatments is caused each time they have to go in and extract ascites.  They take out anywhere from 3 to 5 bottles of it.  ....it keeps accumulating in the abdomen (I think) ...they have to test it to make sure it is non cancerous, thus it delays the chemo/radiation...and further delays are caused when they finally find out that the ascites is non cancerous...then finally they reschedule the chemo/radiatiion!  (If they find cancer cells in the ascites, either he is dropped from the study and/or the radiation is discontinued.)

Have the Drs given any indication as to what is causing the ascites?  Various causes could be from malnutrition, blockages, liver damage and sometimes chemo.  Where is your brother being treated?  Perhaps you should call Stanford, Georgetown or Mount Sinai in Baltimore.  They all have extensive experience with PC and CK.

My dad was just diagnosed on 3/4/08 with a moderate size tumor at the head of the pancreas.  Due to his existing 'co-morbidities', he has opted not to try the Whipple.  He was offerred the CK as a second non-invasive option.  He is being treated at University Hospital in Cleveland.  They have the CK, but we are told it is very new and there is little/no data as to what it can do.  I looked online and found some info. out of Stanford where it was created.  It seems to usually be used in cases where Whipple is not an option - locally advanced cancers.  As far as they can tell, it does not seem to have metasticized anywhere yet.  We are all praying that this can help dad to some degree.  I think with this type of cancer, it seems there is no 'good' answer.  We just wish we knew what to expect. 

The doctors at I U Medical Center said the same thing.  I attended the Pancreatic Cancer Symposium a few weeks ago in Tampa.  I sat at a table during lunch with the head of pancreatic cancer surgery at the Moffitt Caner Center.  The use of the Cyber Knife for pancreatic cancer is definitely an option.  It was also discussed by one of the guest speakers.  I asked if the use of the Cyber Knife was possibe despite the tumor also being wrapped around his blood vessel.  The cancer is locally advanced.  It has not sprea other than to the surrounding blood vessel.  I just read that the Cyber Knife was discouraged if a metal stent was in place.  This is discouraging as he, in fact, does have a metal stent.  The use of a metal stent was also discussed at the symposium.  Seems like plastic at all times is a better option.  I will have to check out this new metal problem....I, however, would keep researching...keep asking around...heck, call the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa..and ask about it.  I truly believe some cancer centers discourage it, as they are unfamiliar and untrained in it's use with pancreatic cancer.  Keep fighting...and good luck........