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[dropcap size=small]S[/dropcap]omething special is happening in South Texas. Each day, Dr. Mathew Alexander and his team see real-life miracles while helping their patients walk again, think clearly again and regain control of their lives.

It’s thanks in part to the minimally-invasive technology at the CHRISTUS Spohn Cancer Center, where Dr. Alexander works with a specialized team to treat deep-seated tumors and brain metastatic diseases.

christusspohn_drmathewalexander_1“We’re very passionate about what we do,” Dr. Alexander said from his office at South Texas Brain and Spine Center, a practice he shares with Drs. Howard Smith and P. Langham Gleason.

“I try to treat each of my patients as if they were my own family,” he added.

Part of the miracle is the revolutionary CyberKnife system, the only one of its kind that’s available in the region. This cutting-edge, minimally-invasive piece of neurosurgery technology enables the CHRISTUS Spohn Cancer Center team to perform complex surgeries on patients without the use of incisions.

The treatment delivers beams of high-dose radiation with extreme accuracy to tumors located anywhere in the body, offering new hope to patients who may not be ideal candidates for traditional surgery.

“Using the CyberKnife with the neurosurgeons is a requirement that could not be done without their help. Drs. Alexander and Gleason have been a strong partner who make the process work,” said Tom Enright, Executive Director of the CHRISTUS Spohn Cancer Center. “We have seen great outcomes with CyberKnife treatments.”

“Our patients don’t have to drive to bigger cities anymore to receive the same level of service” -Dr. Mathew Alexander

The CyberKnife was made possible thanks to generosity from the South Texas community and a special endowment from the CHRISTUS Spohn Foundation.

The innovative program is expanding horizons and has led to exceptional outcomes for hundreds of patients who have benefitted from it since.

“It really is a remarkable team approach to treatment,” Dr. Alexander said. “I draw out the tumor, and I work close with [Cancer Center Doctors] Dr. Kimberly Stewart and Dr. Lalitha Janaki to calculate the best doses of radiation and treatment plans for our patients.”

“We have seen great outcomes with CyberKnife treatments” -Tom Enright, Executive Director of the CHRISTUS Spohn Cancer Center

christusspohn_drmathewalexander_5“Since bringing CyberKnife technology to South Texas, the standard of care has been elevated to a level comparable to the world’s leading cancer centers, including M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston,” Dr. Alexander said.

“It’s been amazing to watch this program grow,” he added. “I’ve enjoyed a great partnership with CHRISTUS Spohn over the past 12 years.”

The son of a respected surgeon in Louisville, Kentucky, Dr. Alexander grew up in a family passionate about caring for others. After graduating medical school and completing his residency, he took a chance in 2004 on a coastal Texas town when his brother, a cardiologist, moved to practice in Corpus Christi. He’s stayed ever since.

“I try to treat each of my patients as if they were my own family” -Dr. Mathew Alexander

Wherever he can, Dr. Alexander has dug in and offered to help, currently serving as Chairman of Surgery and Neurosurgery for CHRISTUS Spohn Health System. It’s his dream to raise the standard of care in Corpus Christi, the city he loves, and inspire his colleagues to do the same.

He also works closely with Dr. Morgan Campbell and the Neuro Team at CHRISTUS Spohn, performing minimally-invasive spinal surgeries, treating everything from scoliosis deformity surgery to complex spinal fractures. Dr. Alexander also assists the CHRISTUS Spohn Stroke Center offering evacuations of intracerebral hematomas to decompressive craniotomies with the goal of improving the quality of life of their patients so they can get back to their lives and return to work.

It’s a continuum of care that provides patients with world-class care, close to home, Alexander added. “Our patients don’t have to drive to bigger cities anymore to receive the same level of service,” he said. “There are a lot of great things happening right here in our backyard. It’s an exciting time.”

 

To learn more about the CHRISTUS Spohn Cancer and CyberKnife Program, please visit www.christusspohn.org/CyberKnifeCancerTreatment. 

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