This information is not a diagnosis or a medical recommendation. Decisions remain with your medical team.
How sources are separated
Source separation
The same three source classes are used throughout this cluster. This comparison is TanyaKanker's explanation of category, technique, and platform; it makes no treatment-outcome claim, price claim, or ranking.
- PROVIDER
- According to Foshan CyberKnife Center materials
- EXTERNAL
- Guideline or scientific publication
- EXPLAINER
- TanyaKanker explanation
Which is the category, technique, and platform
These three levels explain the relationship between the treatment category, the technique used, and the platform that delivers it. That relationship is why asking which is better mixes different concepts.
Radiotherapy
The therapy category: using radiation to control cancer-cell growth in a targeted area.
SBRT and SRS
High-precision stereotactic radiotherapy techniques. SBRT is used for targets outside the head; SRS is used for intracranial targets. Both can be delivered by different platforms.
CyberKnife
One platform that can deliver stereotactic treatment. The platform is robotic and includes motion tracking. It is the tool used, not a separate therapy level.
Open the full comparison
Full comparison
The columns use the same terms as the hierarchy above: category, technique, and platform. The three columns are not ranked.
Category
- Radiotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- SBRT and SRS
- Stereotactic technique
- CyberKnife
- Platform that delivers stereotactic therapy
Precision concept
- Radiotherapy
- Wider margins, dose split across many sessions
- SBRT and SRS
- Smaller margins, higher dose per session
- CyberKnife
- Smaller margins with repeated position correction during the session
Motion tracking
- Radiotherapy
- Usually no real-time tracking
- SBRT and SRS
- Varies by platform and location
- CyberKnife
- Robotic system corrects target position during irradiation
Number of sessions, general context
- Radiotherapy
- Usually many sessions
- SBRT and SRS
- Usually limited sessions
- CyberKnife
- Usually limited sessions
Invasive head frame
- Radiotherapy
- Not needed for targets outside the head
- SBRT and SRS
- Depends on platform and target
- CyberKnife
- Some intracranial targets can be treated without frame fixation
Patient fit
- Radiotherapy
- Broad, depending on treatment goal
- SBRT and SRS
- Requires team assessment
- CyberKnife
- Requires team assessment; not every patient is suitable
What actually differs between platforms
These four factors commonly differ between platforms: how the dose is delivered, motion tracking, the number of sessions, and the context of use. The platforms are not ranked.
Precision concept
- Radiotherapy
- Wider margins, dose split across many sessions
- SBRT and SRS
- Smaller margins, higher dose per session
- CyberKnife
- Smaller margins with repeated position correction during the session
Motion tracking
- Radiotherapy
- Usually no real-time tracking
- SBRT and SRS
- Varies by platform and location
- CyberKnife
- Robotic system corrects target position during irradiation
Number of sessions, general context
- Radiotherapy
- Usually many sessions
- SBRT and SRS
- Usually limited sessions
- CyberKnife
- Usually limited sessions
Patient fit
- Radiotherapy
- Broad, depending on treatment goal
- SBRT and SRS
- Requires team assessment
- CyberKnife
- Requires team assessment; not every patient is suitable
When it may not be suitable
This section does not assess an individual case or rule anyone out. It explains why a plan may be judged unsuitable so your questions for the doctor can be more precise.
- Disease has spread widely so local therapy is no longer the main focus.
- Tumor size or location means focused dose cannot be delivered safely.
- Prior radiotherapy to the same area means cumulative dose limits must be calculated.
- The treatment goal is better answered by another approach, including systemic therapy or surgery.
- The patient's overall clinical condition makes focused therapy a lower priority.
Provider review is required. There is no automatic answer, and no decision can be made from the diagnosis name alone.
Open frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions asked most often. The fuller explanation appears in the sections above.
Is CyberKnife better than SBRT?
That question mixes two different things. SBRT is the technique and CyberKnife is one platform that can deliver it. Other platforms can also deliver stereotactic therapy.
Is CyberKnife always better than conventional radiotherapy?
No. They answer different situations. Stereotactic therapy needs a clearly defined target and safe dose limits; conventional radiotherapy remains appropriate for many settings.
Next step
Platform differences become meaningful only after the target and your treatment history are known. Upload the records you already have so the relationship between technique, location, and possible options can be reviewed.
This information is not a diagnosis or a medical recommendation. Decisions remain with your medical team.
Explore related pages
Read next
- CyberKnife: what it is, who needs review, and the next step
- SBRT (radioterapi stereotaktik): how it works, who it is for, what to prepareSBRT (radioterapi stereotaktik): how the treatment works, who is usually considered for it, what to prepare, and the biomarkers and clinical trials linked to it.
- Radioterapi: how it works, who it is for, what to prepareRadioterapi: how the treatment works, who is usually considered for it, what to prepare, and the biomarkers and clinical trials linked to it.