Lutheran General Unveils New Cancer-Fighting Technology: Illinois CyberKnife Opens Today in Park Ridge

Illinois CyberKnife at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital opens today in Park Ridge. The new cancer treatment facility, a $6 million investment, was developed through a partnership between Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Advocate Lutheran General Children's Hospital, Radiation Oncology Consultants and US Radiosurgery.

CyberKnife treats patients through a procedure called stereotactic radiosurgery, a noninvasive method of treating tumors and other medical conditions with very precise, high-dose radiation. It involves no cutting and no anesthesia, and it requires no recovery time or overnight hospital stay. Treatments are typically complete in one to five visits.

During treatment, patients lie on a table while the CyberKnife's robotic arm moves around them, aiming radiation beams directly at the tumor site and minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The CyberKnife's robotic arm reaches tumors from virtually unlimited directions, making it possible to treat difficult-to-reach tumors that may have been considered inoperable in the past. Patients usually return to normal activities immediately following treatment.

The CyberKnife is capable of treating cancerous and noncancerous tumors in the body, including the prostate, lung, brain, spine, liver, pancreas, kidney, bone and eye. It can also treat trigeminal neuralgia, a neuropathic disorder that causes intense facial pain, and blood vessel abnormalities.

Illinois CyberKnife is a department of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, a member of the Advocate Health Care System. Housed within Lutheran General's Center for Advanced Care, Illinois CyberKnife is located at 1700 Luther Lane, Suite 1110, Park Ridge, Ill. 60068. For more information, call (847) 723-0100 or visit www.IllinoisCK.com.