Radiation Oncology
The Accuray CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System, the most powerful CyberKnife available in Florida, delivers highly concentrated doses of radiation with stunning precision.
Radiation therapy is a highly effective treatment for many types of cancer, and at Sylvester we offer radiation therapies that combine power and precision to effectively treat cancer while minimizing side effects.
Radiation – delivered in several different ways – damages the DNA, or genetic “blueprint,” of both healthy and cancerous cells. However, cancer cells usually are much less able to repair DNA damage, which often leads to the destruction of tumor cells.
At Sylvester’s Miami and Deerfield Beach locations, we treat our patients with external radiation therapy, which delivers radiation from a machine outside your body. We also use temporary and permanent internal radiation therapies (brachytherapy), which places a tiny source of radiation inside your body.
If radiation is part of your treatment plan, your Sylvester radiation oncologist will work closely with the other specialists on your cancer treatment team to identify a customized radiation treatment plan and counsel you on their recommended approach.
Sylvester’s Department of Radiation Oncology employs the most advanced technologies for imaging and radiation treatment, including:
- Varian TrueBeam™, a linear accelerator designed to optimize results in both radiotherapy and radiosurgery
- CyberKnife®, a robotic radiosurgery device that delivers a concentrated dose of radiation with pinpoint accuracy
- Varian Trilogy System with RapidArc™ technology, which reduces daily treatment time by about 75 percent compared to less advanced technologies
- Calypso 4D Localization system for prostate cancer, which includes a “GPS” tracking device that precisely targets tumors
We utilize MRI and PET image fusion to allow highly detailed tumor visualization during the radiation planning process. In addition, your treatment may take advantage of one of our four linear accelerators, a computed tomography simulator and fluoroscopic simulator, a Siemens 40-slice CT scanner and a Brainlab™ IMRT accelerator.
For more information on radiation therapy at Sylvester, call 305-243-4200 or fill out an information request form and a member of our specialized team will contact you. Additionally, you can download the Radiation Oncology Factsheet or visit the Department of Radiation Oncology website at http://radonc.med.miami.edu.