Radiosurgery (EDGE)
The EDGE Radiosurgery System: noninvasive cancer treatment that's easy on you
Recently the START Center for Cancer Care purchased the EDGE Radiosurgery System to replace the CyberKnife®. The START Center, one of the first centers to adopt the Cyberknife, decided that it was time to replace the Cyberknife system with new, state-of-the art technology. This allows the START Center to continue to improve their excellent radiosurgery program. The addition of the EDGE allows radiosurgery treatment times to be reduced from 1 ½ hours to less than 30 minutes. It also provides the radiation oncologists with improved imaging capabilities during treatment, giving the staff better accuracy in localizing the tumor. The EDGE also provides precise and accurate radiosurgical treatments for which the START Center has become known.
How EDGE Radiosurgery works:
The Edge® radiosurgery system opens the door for a non-invasive alternative to conventional surgery. With an eye toward improving treatment ease and convenience, patients can expect a more comfortable experience because the procedure is non-invasive with no incision needed. Normally an outpatient procedure, Edge treatments are typically completed within the same week, taking only 1 – 5 sessions. Each session typically lasts less than thirty minutes, which helps patients to quickly get in and out of treatment, reducing hospital stays and allowing them to resume their lives.
With the Edge radiosurgery system, a wide range of tumors that are typically difficult to reach with traditional surgery can be targeted and treated with power and precision. The Edge system works by delivering large, targeted doses of radiation to obliterate cancer cells. To accurately deliver the recommended amount of radiation, the beam treats each part of the tumor from many different angles. Using precise beam sculpting and a real-time tracking system, clinicians are able to deliver high radiation doses to destroy the tumor while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.
Benefits of using EDGE
The Edge® radiosurgery system from Varian Medical Systems offers a new line of defense in the fight against cancer. Using advanced cancer treatment technology, the Edge® system offers patients a fast, effective surgical option for treating tumors without incisions or the need for overnight hospital stays. It may be used to treat tumors found in the lung, prostate, brain, spine and other indications throughout the body. The Edge Radiosurgery system uses a real-time tumor tracking system so clinicians can detect slight tumor movement, thus potentially minimizing the radiation dose to surrounding healthy tissue.
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Edge’s knife-like beam provides radiation oncologists with the agility to treat tumors that are typically difficult to reach surgically.
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Edge protects surrounding healthy tissue by using advanced motion management techniques that help detect even slight tumor movement.
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Edge patients are able to continue with their daily lives because treatment sessions typically last less than thirty minutes, and require neither hospital stays nor incisions.
*Edge radiosurgery is not appropriate for all cancers. Serious side effects, including fatigue and skin irritation, can occur. Treatment times may vary. Ask your doctor if the Edge treatment system is right for you.
For more information about the EDGE at the START Center, or to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced cancer doctors, call 210-593-5700. You can also request an appointment using our easy online form.