Oklahoma CyberKnife, a cancer treatment center located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, treated its 1,000th patient this week. Since opening in 2008, the center has provided advanced cancer treatments using CyberKnife radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiation therapy to patients throughout the Midwest from states including Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Approximately 35% of patients traveled from outside the primary service area to receive treatment at Oklahoma CyberKnife.
1. February 28, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sarah Tiambeng, Zehnder Communications, (504) 962-3731, saraht@z-comm.com
Oklahoma CyberKnife Treats 1,000th
Patient
Tulsa-based cancer treatment center reaches milestone in patient care, sees patients throughout the
Midwest.
TULSA, Okla. – Oklahoma CyberKnife announces treatment of its 1000th
patient this week as the
center continues to treat patients throughout the Midwest using advanced cancer treatment
technology.
Since opening in 2008 as a service of Hillcrest Medical Center, Oklahoma CyberKnife has drawn
patients from across the state and region including Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas. Approximately 35
percent of patients treated at Oklahoma CyberKnife have traveled from communities outside of the
hospital’s primary service area.
“Reaching this milestone in patient care is a proud moment for our center,” said Dr. Diane Heaton,
medical director of Oklahoma CyberKnife. “It is a testament to the experience and expertise our team
can offer to anyone in our area seeking an effective nonsurgical cancer treatment option.”
Oklahoma CyberKnife treats patients using CyberKnife®
, a robotic technology that provides
stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiation therapy. During these procedures, precisely
targeted, high-dose radiation beams are delivered to tumors throughout the body without sedation or
incision while radiation exposure to healthy tissue around a tumor is minimized. CyberKnife treatment
is painless and is completed in five or fewer procedures.
Lung tumors and brain tumors represent the majority of cases treated at Oklahoma CyberKnife,
encompassing more than 65 percent of treatments. The center also treats a large volume of patients
with trigeminal neuralgia, a debilitating nerve disorder.
In 2012, Oklahoma CyberKnife began offering treatment to prostate cancer patients on Medicare
when regional contractor TrailBlazer Health Enterprises expanded prostate cancer coverage to
include CyberKnife treatment, provided patients are enrolled in a clinical study. Oklahoma CyberKnife
joined a national multi-institutional registry for prostate cancer, allowing Medicare patients who join
the registry to receive CyberKnife treatment. The center and other participating institutions will
analyze collected data to improve prostate cancer treatment protocols.
“This was an important step to ensure prostate cancer patients in Oklahoma have access to
advanced treatment options like CyberKnife,” Dr. Heaton said. “Patients have the benefit of returning
to their normal routines following treatment and experience few to no side effects.”
Oklahoma CyberKnife is a service of Hillcrest Medical Center and is located off the hospital’s main
campus at 6802 South Olympia Ave. in Tulsa. For more information, call (918) 949-6676.