Radiosurgery is a noninvasive treatment that can treat and sometimes eliminate many kinds of cancers, reducing or eliminating the need for a surgeon to operate. PAMF doctors use an advanced technology called the Novalis TX® radiosurgery system to deliver a precision dose of radiation to a tumor. The radiosurgery destroys a targeted area without harming the surrounding normal tissue.

How does Novalis Tx radiosurgery work?

Novalis Tx/Truebeam radiosurgery suite consists of a high-tech radiation delivery system powered by innovative, sophisticated image-guidance and motion management tools. This state-of-the-art system rotates around you, delivering the cancer-fighting shaped treatment beams where they're needed. The image-guidance and motion management tools provide doctors with detailed information about the shape, size and position of your tumor, they also guide setup and positioning and monitor your body and tumor motion during treatment.

Conditions Treated

At PAMF, we treat a variety of cancer conditions using the Novalis Tx/Truebeam radiosurgery system including:

• Acoustic neuromas — These are noncancerous tumors that develop on the nerve that connects the ear to the brain.
• Brain cancer — General term for tumors that grow in the brain or around the central nervous center - can either be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous, can spread).
• Craniopharyngioma — A type of a benign tumor that develops near the pituitary gland (a small gland at the base of the brain).
• Benign tumors — A tumor (mass of cells) that lacks the ability to spread to other organs of the body.
• Malignant tumors — A tumor (mass of cells) that has the able to grow progressively larger and spread to other organs of the body.
• Meningioma — A set of tumors that grow from the meninges, the membrane layer surrounding the central nervous system; most common type of primary brain tumor. Meningiomas are usually benign.
• Metastatic disease to the brain — A brain tumor that has developed by the spread of cancer from another part of the body.
• Pituitary adenoma — Non-cancerous tumors that form in the pituitary gland, the gland that produces a variety of important hormones.
• Primary brain tumors — A tumor that starts in the brain.
• Recurrent brain tumors — Previously treated tumors that have returned.
• Liver tumors — Abnormal growth of cells on or in the liver -- can be cancerous or noncancerous.
• Lung tumors — Abnormal growth of cells on or in the lungs -- can be cancerous or noncancerous.
• Trigeminal neuralgia — Trigeminal neuralgia is a nerve disorder that causes electric shock-like pain in parts of the face.
• Spinal tumors — Abnormal growth of tissue within or surrounding the spinal cord.

Benefits of Radiosurgery Treatment

Faster radiation treatment time is one of the most important benefits of the Novalis TX/TrueBeam STx radiosurgery system. Other advantages of the Novalis TX/TrueBeam STx radiosurgery system include:

• Radiosurgery Treatment is painless.
• Patients can resume their normal activities immediately after treatment.
• Better treatment outcomes and fewer radiation therapy side effects because the radiation dose is delivered with greater accuracy.
• Less damage to nearby healthy organs and other soft tissues.
• Radiation treatment can be administered within minutes, and often in a single session, which is both more comfortable and more convenient for patients.
• Patients do not have to have their head held in place with a fixed frame.

Radiosurgery at PAMF takes a multidisciplinary approach to delivering precision treatment in a caring, patient-friendly atmosphere. Our team of doctors in the radiosurgery team include a neurosurgeon, a radiation oncologist, physicists, radiation therapists and nurses.

For more information on PAMF's Radiosurgery Program, please call: (877) 807-8010.