Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy
SRS & SBRT

Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) are highly advanced radiation techniques designed to deliver ultra-high doses of radiation in very few treatments—typically 1 to 5 sessions—with sub-millimeter precision. This approach is also known as ultra-hypofractionation, and in many settings, generically referred to as “CyberKnife® treatment.”

These therapies compress the overall treatment duration while maintaining maximum tumor control, thanks to advanced planning and image-guided delivery. At ARC, many of our linear accelerators use multiple VMAT arcs and varied entry angles to generate the sophisticated beam arrangements required for stereotactic treatments.

What Does “Stereotactic” Mean?

The term stereotactic (from the Greek for “movement in space”) refers to the use of a three-dimensional coordinate system to locate and target tumors or abnormalities within the body. This allows our physicians to precisely pinpoint a treatment area—whether in the brain, spine, or other sensitive anatomical locations—so that radiation can be delivered safely and effectively.

SRS refers specifically to a single-session stereotactic treatment, most commonly used to treat:

  • Brain tumors
  • Spinal tumors
  • Other central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities

Because of the proximity to critical nerves and tissues in the brain and spinal cord, SRS allows for the delivery of extremely high-dose radiation using “pencil-thin” beams that converge on the target, while sparing surrounding healthy structures.

Conditions Treated with SRS:

  • Astrocytomas
  • Glioblastomas (Glioblastoma Multiforme)
  • Meningiomas
  • Germinomas
  • Gliomas
  • Brain metastases (from lung, breast, colorectal, or other primary cancers)

SRS is also used for certain benign conditions, including:

  • Trigeminal Neuralgia
  • Acoustic Neuromas
  • Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs)

SBRT refers to stereotactic treatment delivered over 2 to 5 sessions, and it is used for tumors outside the brain and spine, in areas where traditional radiation could pose a risk to nearby critical structures. Like SRS, SBRT achieves extremely high accuracy, making it suitable for treating tumors close to sensitive organs or tissues.

Common SBRT Treatment Sites:

  • Prostate
  • Lung
  • Lymph nodes
  • Pancreas
  • Adrenal glands
  • Liver

At ARC, we offer SBRT for prostate cancer, sometimes referred to as “CyberKnife®” or ultra-hypofractionation. This approach allows patients to complete their entire curative treatment course in just 5 sessions, delivering a higher dose of radiation per visit.

Numerous clinical studies have shown that, for appropriately selected patients, SBRT offers outcomes equivalent to conventional radiation, with the added benefits of:

  • Shorter treatment time
  • Reduced patient burden
  • Excellent quality-of-life preservation

Your radiation oncologist will review your diagnosis, anatomy, and medical history to determine if SBRT is right for you.

By using these cutting-edge techniques, ARC provides patients with targeted, effective, and efficient cancer care—designed to minimize side effects and maximize treatment success.