What is Radiosurgery?
Radiosurgery is a highly precise, intensified form of radiation therapy. Despite the use of the word "surgery" in its name, it does not involve removing the tumor with a surgical blade. Instead, a focused high-intensity beam of radiation is used to target a tumor. As a treatment method, radiosurgery has two
equally important goals: to destroy or control the growth of the tumor and to do so while minimizing exposure to the surrounding normal, healthy tissue. Radiosurgery can be delivered for tumors that could be otherwise inaccessible or inadequate for open surgery. Radiation oncologists may also utilize radiosurgery techniques when conventional radiation therapy is not an appropriate option for a patient's particular case.
In addition to cancer, radiosurgery has also been shown to be beneficial for the treatment of some non-cancerous conditions, including disorders such as arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and trigeminal neuralgia. Talk to your radiation oncologist about which treatment method is right for you.
