Jacob Gersh Discusses the CyberKnife

Jacob Gersh, PhD, lead physicist at the Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute, discusses the CyberKnife.

The CyberKnife uses high-energy photons to deliver radiation to tumors, says Gersh. The difference with this tool is the size—the beam that is delivered to the tumor is much smaller than what is traditionally associated with conventional radiation therapy.

Gersh says that because of the CyberKnife’s size, it has very precise and accurate targeting, allowing the dose to be raised as it will not damage as much healthy tissue as traditional radiation would. Additionally, the precision of this tool can reduce the number of treatments a patient must undergo.