Bengaluru: When 78-year-old MC Joseph, a Bengalurean, started experiencing debilitating tremors in his head and left arm, his life began to take a turn for the worse. Writing, walking and even sleeping became increasingly difficult. Little did he know that a treatment — a 15-minute non-invasive procedure — would improve his quality of life in just two days.
The solution was CyberKnife radiosurgery, an outpatient procedure, requiring no anaesthesia or hospital stay. Dr Lohith Reddy, lead radiation oncologist for functional radiosurgery at HCG Cancer Hospital where he underwent the procedure, told TOI: "Joseph, a prostate cancer survivor was treated at our hospital five years ago, struggled with Parkinson's disease, which caused severe tremors and muscle fatigue. The standard treatment for Parkinson's tremors is invasive deep brain stimulation, which involves surgery to target the thalamus. Instead, I suggested an alternative: CyberKnife, a non-invasive technology that uses highly focused X-rays to ablate the affected thalamus area. This procedure requires no anaesthesia, incisions or hospitalisation — just 15 minutes of treatment."
After detailed planning using advanced imaging techniques like 3-Tesla MRI and DOPA PET-CT to precisely locate the affected nuclei, the doctors performed the procedure. Within two days, his tremors completely disappeared. His quality of life improved dramatically — he could meditate, walk, and resume normal activities. The treatment, conducted on Jan 22, showed immediate effects. By the next morning, Joseph's tremors reduced by 70-75%, allowing him to sleep peacefully. This 15-minute, outpatient procedure is offering a non-invasive alternative to traditional surgeries for select Parkinson's cases, highlighted Dr Lohith.
Joseph's son, MJ Cherian, shared their journey: "We first noticed his symptoms in 2019 when his head began bobbing while writing. Over time, it affected his entire left side. After his prostate cancer treatment in 2021 when his cancer screenings were clear, doctors suggested CyberKnife for Parkinson's. We were initially unsure. But the procedure was pain-free, quick, and non-invasive. He walked out the same day with no complications. Now, his tremors are almost gone, and we're hopeful of even better results in the coming weeks."