RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION AND LIVER CANCER TREATMENTS

TREATING CANCER:

The decision made by a patient and the physician about how best to treat a cancer depends on a number of factors including the type of cancer, how advanced the disease is (sometimes referred to as the cancer stage) as well as other health problems the patient may have and the preference of the patient.

The most common treatments are surgery to remove the cancer, the administration of cancer-killing drugs (chemotherapy) and radiation therapy.

INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY TREATMENTS (CHEMOEMBOLIZATION AND RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION)

Interventional radiologists can utilize ultrasound, CT scan, and x-rays to guide procedures to deliver cancer fighting therapy directly to the site of the tumor using smaller incisions than standard surgical incisions. This can be done using embolization techniques and directly delivering chemotherapy and small devices into blood vessels that supply the cancer. This will put these toxic chemicals into the tumor and decrease the burden on normal tissues.

In addition, radiofrequency ablation can be used to treat the tumor directly. This is a technique in which a small tube is inserted through the skin and under ultrasound, CT scan, and x-ray guidance. The tube can be placed directly in the tumor and the tumor can be treated with heat to destroy the tumor. The safety and effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation is well known and the technology has been approved by the Food & Drug Administration, FDA. Radiofrequency ablation may be performed with either general anesthesia or conscious sedation. Most patients do not experience pain or serious side effects after the procedure.

As with other interventional procedures, these treatments often require shorter hospital stays as well as less recovery time and often lower complication rates than surgical alternatives.

If you and your doctor are interested in schedule a radiofrequency ablation embolization, this can be arranged by setting up a consult with one of our interventional radiologists. Please call Mackenzie Jackson, our nurse coordinator, at (404) 85l-6063, to set up the consult or to help direct your therapy.