My apologies

[sekhmet]

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but I am something of an intruder and I shall be disappearing as soon as I can obtain answers to my query. I have a friend who has been diagnosed with stomach cancer which has now almost disappeared after 6 sessions of chemo. Her surgeon still wants to remove the stomach, and having become aware of the "cyberknife" she has asked me to research the possibilities of using that method rather than surgery. Can any please fill me in on the uses and possibilities of radiation oncology. Can it be used on the stomach , as I understand that at present it is mainly brain, and lung tumors that are the usual target. I should be grateful for your indulgence and any answers in plain language as perusing this forum was quite difficult at times trying to put together the information .

 

[clintpark]

but I am something of an intruder and I shall be disappearing as soon as I can obtain answers to my query. I have a friend who has been diagnosed with stomach cancer which has now almost disappeared after 6 sessions of chemo. Her surgeon still wants to remove the stomach, and having become aware of the "cyberknife" she has asked me to research the possibilities of using that method rather than surgery. Can any please fill me in on the uses and possibilities of radiation oncology. Can it be used on the stomach , as I understand that at present it is mainly brain, and lung tumors that are the usual target. I should be grateful for your indulgence and any answers in plain language as perusing this forum was quite difficult at times trying to put together the information .

Let me start off by saying that this forum is not intended for medical advice. I don't say this to spite you, but to let you know that I do not have any of the information that's needed to individualize treatment recommendation.

Having said that, I can paint a broad picture. To tell you the conclusion first, your friend has been given a recommendation that adheres to "standard of care." What it means is that, based on evidence, anyone practicing medicine should abide by it or very close to it. For stomach cancers, there are basically two accepted strategies. Which one is better than the other is unclear at this point. There are: (1) surgery -> chemo+radiation or (2) chemo->surgery->chemo. I think your friend's docs took the second route, which is perfectly reasonable.

Can someone with stomach cancer be treated with cyberknife? I guess one can. Believe me, if you look hard enough you can find a doc who will offer anything. Unless there is a research study out there, though, one should, again, stick close to the standard of care. It's good that your friend's tumor responded (that is, chemo shrank the size of the tumor), but it does not mean that it's gone completely. In fact, even if you don't see any tumor on a scan, one will likely find cancer cells if he looked at it under a microscope.

If you are going for cure, the most important part of the treatment for stomach cancer is surgery.

 

[sekhmet]

for taking the time to post an answer, but I need to reiterate I am not seeking medical advice here. All you have kindly stated is known and understood. In our litigious times I would not ask anyone to put themselves on the line. What I need is information of a general nature on the "cyberknife" or similar technical processes. When you are aged 49 and facing decisions of the type my friend is, then one needs to find those medical experiences that go beyond the "standard care".

I have spent hours on this puter trolling the web, [lawd love the internet], I have found hundreds of scams, promises and dos and don'ts, and managed to steer her clear of the various "cures". But this latest information appears to have some merit. I have gathered that the research is newish, and that it is causing friction in the surgical community. Indeed in Australia as it seems in the UK also, it is difficult to obtain unbiased information. My friend will have to go abroad at great expense therefore any experiences with these methods is vital to the decision making process. Why for instance has this machine taken off in so many countries, and is almost unheard of in Australia. Is this top class marketing on the companies part, or is the surgical community in Australia playing hard to get?. As I said general information and experience is all I seek.

 

[IndyXRT]

A Cyberknife is just a tool to deliver radiation (X-rays). More specifically, it is a 6 MV linear accelerator mounted on a robotic arm, allowing non-isocentric treatment plans. This may all sound like gibberish, but trust me when I say it is just one of many tools for delivering radiation. The question, then, is "can radiation replace surgery in the treatment of stomach cancer?" The answer, based on data (summarized nicely by clintpark above), is no.

 

[stephew]

Im sorry, this is not an appropriate place to seek medical information. It's best for you to ask these questions to a qualified radiation oncologist who has personally consulted with your friend.
I wish you and your friend the best.