Story URL: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=139391
Story Retrieval Date: 5/24/2013 6:56:56 AM CST
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Tara S. Kerpelman/MEDILL
A new cancer treatment center at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital in DuPage County offers hope for patients who cannot have tumors surgically removed.
New CyberKnife Center offers cancer treatment without surgery
by Tara S. Kerpelman
Aug 27, 2009
Tara S. Kerpelman/MEDILL
Rose Salatino was able to get treatment for her lung cancer tumor, shown targeted here, with the new CyberKnife at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital in DuPage County.
A new cancer treatment center at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital in DuPage County offers hope for patients who cannot have tumors surgically removed. The CyberKnife Center of Chicago enabled 80-year old Rose Salatino of Algonquin to go through a painless cancer treatment without general anesthesia for her lung cancer. Because Salatino has a previous lung condition, she could not undergo conventional surgery with anesthesia for her cancer.
The CyberKnife uses computer-guided technology to target tumors precisely. Then it delivers small but high-dose radiation beams from different angles while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. As a result, Salatino was able to get up and walk away normally after each of three treatment.
The CyberKnife is available at three other centers in the Chicago area. Salatino is one of the Elmhurst center's first patients.
