Cancer, the debilitating scourge of over 12.7 million people the world over (as per statistics released by Cancer Research UK) can now  be vanquished through CyberKnife treatment. Those ready to embrace the procedure but who find the costs involved too heavy for their pockets can opt for Cyberknife treatment in Europe, particularly in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is home to a state-of-the-art hospital which has established itself as purveyor of CyberKnife cancer treatment in Turkey for just a fraction of the American prices.

Two UK patients suffering from very aggressive forms of cancer found relief with CyberKnife cancer treatment abroad in Europe. We present below a summary of their success stories and also discuss the applicability and limitations of CyberKnife.

Retiree from England Gets CyberKnife Treatment in Turkey – Europe

Liam Hyland of Penkhull, UK, is 63 and has liver cancer. CyberKnife is not available on the NHS, and hence he had to travel to Turkey for the cancer treatment. Hyland’s cancer was detected more than a year ago and he read about fellow countryman Alan Bowley’s CyberKnife treatment (see story below) which gave him and his family fresh hope.

Hyland’s sister then did some more research for cheaper CyberKnife treatment options and found that Turkey was a good option. (CyberKnife in Europe is available in very limited places.) Today, the things he’s happiest about are the new lease of life he got in Turkey and also the speed with which he got it, he tells The Sentinel.

UK Policeman’s Trip for CyberKnife Cancer Treatment Abroad

Alan Bowley, a police sergeant from Cheshire, UK, got a new breath of life last year, thanks to CyberKnife treatment abroad. Without this treatment, today his days would have been numbered, as his UK doctor had said that the tumor he had was wrapped around an artery which supplies blood to the lower stomach. Operating on it would mean taking a huge risk and Alan could have died on the operating table.

Bowley’s wife, Janet, then found the CyberKnife treatment option which offered hope even to patients like her husband. As reported in the Daily Mail, the CyberKnife’s accuracy is a huge advance on conventional radiotherapy, and hence it can be used to treat areas previously thought to be too risky.

A year on and Bowley’s tumour has not grown back: all he had was 40 minutes of CyberKnife treatment for three days last year.

Where Can CyberKnife be Used?

• The CyberKnife system can treat tumors or lesions in the brain, spine, lung, liver, pancr
  eas and prostate from any angle. It can reach areas that are beyond the reach of conventional radiotherapy.
• The CyberKnife continually tracks tumor position, detects any tumor or patient movement and automatically corrects the delivery of radiation, without having to reposition the patient or interrupt the treatment.
• CyberKnife can even hit lung tumors by synchronizing the robotic arm with the rise and fall of a patient’s breathing. The benefits of such a feature are felt in real-time by patients, who can just listen to music and relax throughout the operation.

The different types of cancer that can be treated by CyberKnife are:

• Malignant tumors: Astrocytomas, gliomas, skull base tumors, Metastases (brain and bony), nasopharyngeal carcinomas
• Benign tumors: Meningiomas, acoustic neuromas, Schwannomas, pituitary adenomas, hemangioblastomas, craniopharngiomas, other benign tumors

• Vascular malformations: Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), cavernous malformations

• Functional disorders: Trigeminal neuralgia

• Extracranial Tumors and Lesions: Base of skull, neck, cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, pancreas, liver, lungs, other lesions, tumors, and conditions anywhere in the body