Cyberknife Surgery in Korea – an Overview

Of all the countries offering cyberknife surgery, Korea is one of the first do so. What happens when you hear of a new cutting-edge technology that has made remarkable strides in fighting cancer, yet you know you can’t afford it?  The Cyberknife has been making remarkable strides in both destroying tumors and making cancer treatment much more bearable than standard chemotherapy.  Success rates vary depending on patient and cancer, but they can be as much as 90% to 15-20% with standard chemotherapy.

The Cyberknife has been tested and is in operation against every type of cancer, but it is not covered by most insurance policies, and financially out of reach to the average public. For this reason, South Korea has made Cyberknife treatment facilities available to anyone in the world for half of what it would cost in western countries, or even lower.

How the Cyberknife Works

Patients are fitted with equipment that will help the Cyberknife detect tumors.  The Cyberknife scans their body.  Wherever it detects a tumor it shoots a beam of radiation that is so precision-designed it only hits the tumor, not the surrounding tissues.  It can target all the tumors in the body, including ones not picked up by regular x-rays or ones that may be too difficult for a surgeon to operate on manually.

Patients suffer for weeks after standard chemotherapy because chemo drugs do not differentiate between healthy cells and tumors.  They attack the whole body.  Even when the drugs shrink or destroy tumors, the rest of the body suffers very much.  However, the Cyberknife is so precise in targeting only the tumors that the rest of the body is left healthy and untouched.

A Cyberknife session can last as long as a dentist’s appointment and the patient is healthy enough to get up and go home.  Some minor headaches or aches and pains can follow because radiation does enter the body, but they are nothing in comparison with standard chemotherapy.

Why South Korea for Cyberknife Treatment?

The government of South Korea has invested a great deal in establishing a medical tourist industry to compete with western countries. The booming medical tourism in South Korea assures the finest, state-of-the-art hospitals, very well trained physicians, fluent English-speaking staff and excellent aftercare. Spinal cancer patients can opt for cyber knife spine surgery in Korea.

A good medical tourist agency can recommend physicians and facilities, negotiate medical costs for any budget, and make all hotel and travel arrangements.  Before or after treatment, a patient is free to explore the sounds and sights of Seoul and the natural beauty of the Korean countryside. 

With the simplicity of the Cyber-knife in South Korea, vacationing and medical treatment in Korea can be a much more beneficial experience than remaining at home with standard chemotherapy as the only option.