CyberKnife Patient Support Group

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Sierra
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2008
Total Posts : 1

Posted 10/9/2008 5:56 AM (GMT -8)

My father has severe COPD and emphysema and requires continuous oxygen. He has just been diagnosed with non-small cell (squamous cell) lung cancer. The doctors had been watching a spot in his lung for quite some time and did the biopsy via bronchoscopy last week. He is a high risk patient and is not a candidate for the traditional cancer treatment option of surgery and we were told a while back that Cyberknife may be an option. Unfortunately, we just received word yesterday that the only way they would perform the Cyberknife procedure would be to put him on a breathing tube and it would be extremely dangerous. His lungs are in extremely fragile condition. This leaves him with the only viable option left which is radiation therapy. He is about to turn 70 years old in a couple weeks and he's not ready to give up on life. It's especially upsetting since he was told it's a slow growing tumor and if it weren't for the emphysema, he could be helped. Do you have any words of advice for a man in his situation?

Thanks!

radsrus
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2004
Total Posts : 7510

Posted 10/9/2008 6:31 AM (GMT -8)

Let another center look at the scans is on thought. Maybe they could do it without the breathing tube. We have never used that. But he may or may not be a good candidate for CK. Standard radiation, if carefully done, should not cause a great deal of lung damage.

Clinton A. Medbery, III, M.D.
St. Anthony Hospital Cyberknife Center
(405) 272-7311
buddy@swrads.org

Mail to:
Clinton A. Medbery, III, M.D.
Southwest Radiation Oncology
1011 N. Dewey Ave. #101
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Jerome J. Spunberg, M.D.
Registered Member

Date Joined Feb 2006
Total Posts : 4214

Posted 10/9/2008 10:43 AM (GMT -8)

I agree. We have not had that problem either. Get a 2nd CK opinion.

Jerome J. Spunberg, M.D., FACR, FACRO
Cyberknife Center Of Palm Beach
jspunberg@radiationoncologyinstitute.com
(561) 799-2828

Radiation Oncology Institute
10335 N. Military Trail, Suite C
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
(561) 624-1717

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