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Cancer that spreads to the brain from another part of the body such as lung or breast is called a metastatic brain tumor. In some patients, surgery and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) can help alleviate these symptoms in patients who have a limited number of tumors. Despite what its name implies, SRS isn't actually a surgery but instead involves highly focused radiation that targets tumors while minimizing the effects on surrounding healthy tissue. The treatment is often used after a patient undergoes surgery to remove brain tumors in a process called postoperative SRS. However, SRS can also be given before surgery,...

Bloodless, painless surgery. That’s the promise of an alien-like robot that towered over radiation oncologist Marc Apple at the Parkview Regional Cancer Center on Friday. The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System developed by California-based Accuray Inc. is “the first and only robotic radiosurgery system designed to treat tumors anywhere in the body with sub-millimeter accuracy,” according to the company. Parkview is one of 40 to 50 facilities in the country with CyberKnife, Apple said. It is also one of just two facilities in the state – the other in East Chicago – with CyberKnife, which is not found in Michigan or...