Recent advancements in the treatment of cancer have opened up new options for cancer patients.

Stereotactic radio surgery treats tumors using focused beams of radiation enabling doctors to deliver higher doses of radiation more precisely and in fewer treatment sessions. Radiation Oncologist Constantine Mantz explains, "Radiosurgery is the most sophisticated form of radiation therapy. It is a very precise, very accurately delivered type of radiation therapy that intends to treat only the tumor but not any of the surrounding, normal structures."

Dr. Mantz says that this cutting edge treatment is especially good news for patients who may have been told that they have inoperable tumors. "It is a type of treatment that we would use to treat a type of tumor that is usually not operable, or the patient is too medically ill to tolerate an operation to remove that tumor."

Dr. Mantz also says that this form of treatment is also comfortable for the patient. "There is no pain and there is no feeling what so ever associated with radiation therapy, it's just as though the patient is receiving a typical x ray."

Dr. Mantz adds that in the past radiosurgery was used primarily to treat brain tumors, well now it's being used to treat all types of cancer. "We can use it to treat lung tumors, treat tumors of the pancreas, tumors of the kidney, tumors of the prostate and the advantage being that we can deliver the treatment very accurately much more so than we were capable of doing years past."

This advancement allows an opportunity for a cure with virtually no side effects from the treatment.

When determining what type of cancer treatment is right for you, it's important for you to talk with your physician about all of the options available.