A blood test at her doctor's office showed that she had elevated levels of a hormone called prolactin, which stimulates milk production. Her doctor ordered a CT scan, which showed something suspicious near her brain. Radiologists then conducted an MRI for a more detailed look. The images revealed that Marilyn had a pituitary macroadenoma — a benign tumor that was growing on the pituitary gland, a hormone-secreting gland located at the base of the brain.
For the next several years, Marilyn took a daily medication to shrink the tumor and control prolactin levels. However, in 2005, another MRI found that the tumor had grown. That same year, she underwent an invasive surgical procedure in which doctors were able to remove most, but not all, of the tumor.
Bruce Rosenblum, M.D., chief of the Division of Neurosurgery at Riverview Medical Center and surgical director of the CyberKnife Center, saw Marilyn after that surgery and found that the tumor continued to grow.
"I knew that additional traditional surgery to remove the tumor would be dangerous," says Dr. Rosenblum. "I felt that CyberKnife would be an excellent treatment option for her. It would be easier for her to recover as there is no cutting and no hospitalization."
Dr. Rosenblum contacted Adnan Danish, M.D., chief of radiation oncology and medical director of the CyberKnife Radiosurgery Program at Riverview. They planned to carry out the treatment as a combined procedure.
More Accurate and Convenient Treatment
CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System delivers a high dose of radiation directly to tumors, says Dr. Danish.
"Marilyn's tumor is located close to her optic nerve and brain stem," he says. "With conventional radiation therapy, she'd require as many as 30 treatments using low doses of radiation to target the tumor and avoid causing complications to those other areas."
CyberKnife, however, uses special image guidance software to pinpoint the tumor — even accounting for a patient's imperceptible movements — and precisely covers the tumor with a higher dose of radiation while sparing nearby healthy tissues.
As a result, Marilyn was able to receive the painless procedure over five days with each session lasting only 90 minutes. "I even went to work each day after the treatments," she adds.
High-Tech Treatments Make Riverview a Cut Above
Riverview boasts one of the longest running and most advanced CyberKnife programs in the country. At the end of 2010, the program celebrated its fifth anniversary. To date, physicians at Riverview Medical Center have treated more than 915 patients with more than 3,500 treatments using the device. The hospital is currently one of only six CyberKnife centers in New Jersey.
Dr. Danish used the technology to treat Marilyn's pituitary macroadenoma, but that's just one of its many applications. "In some cases, CyberKnife can treat tumors that surgery can't reach. Other times, it can shrink tumors enough to eliminate the need for surgery," Dr. Danish says. "It can treat lesions throughout the body, including those in the brain, lung, pancreas, and prostate."
In fact, in 2009, Riverview ranked second in the world for treating the most prostate cancers with CyberKnife.
Stopping a Tumor in Its Tracks
Every six months, Marilyn has an MRI checkup. Her most recent one, in October 2010, revealed that the tumor still had not grown in more than two-and-a-half years.
"That's a success," Dr. Danish says. "We were able to stunt its growth and prevent the tumor from causing symptoms such as headaches or interfering with Marilyn's vision."
Today, Marilyn feels as healthy as ever. "I'm able to be as active as I like, riding my bike, taking daily walks with my husband, and working full time," she says. "It's hard to believe that this technology achieved what surgery couldn't, but that's exactly what it did."
About the Doctors
- Adnan F. Danish, M.D.
Board certified in Radiation Oncology
Red Bank, NJ | 732-530-2468 - Bruce R. Rosenblum, M.D.
Board certified in Neurosurgery & Pain Management
Shrewsbury, NJ | 732-460-1522
