Topic: Cyberknife for Klatskin - Too good to be true?
My mom has a Klatskin's tumor (5 cm). No metastasis visible in CT Scan. We met the Stanford Tumor Board. They came back to say that her tumor was not resectable because it encased the portal vein. However they proposed to treat it with stereotactic radiosurgery (Cyberknife). In this procedure they mount a whole array of radiation guns and point it at the tumor and deliver a full dose in 2 hours. The guns are mounted on robotic arms to adjust for movement caused by breathing etc. The radiation oncologist Dr. Albert Koong claimed that this 2 hour procedure is all that is needed. Side effects for 24 hrs (nausea etc..). He also said that this particular tumor was ideal for this treatment because of its location and size -- the exact opposite of what we heard from the surgeon.
Is this too good to be true? Has anyone heard/experienced this procedure? I understand that this has been used effectively for pancreating cancer. Any information on how this has fared against cholangeo and liver cancers?
Some of the questions I have been prepped to ask are:
- what happens to the encased portal vein? can it thrombose?
- how are the hepatic/bile ducts affected?
- what happens to the radiation passing through the liver?
Any thoughts, comments, information greatly appreciated.