There are many modern treatment methods for cancer, which is the second most common cause of death in developed societies.
Tumor treatment by burning, freezing or electric current: Many patients diagnosed with cancer are as afraid of surgery as cancer. One of the most important pillars of cancer treatment, image-guided treatment destroys cancerous cells in the most effective way, while providing significant advantages in terms of patient comfort. Liver, kidney, lung and some bone tumors are treated with ablation method.
NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT IN LIVER TUMOR
Most liver tumors, kidney, lung, soft tissue and some bone tumors can be treated without surgical incision by heating the tumor area, freezing or giving electric current in patients who are not suitable for surgery or who cannot be operated. After this treatment, the patients can be discharged the next day and can return to their daily life within a few days.
Which specialists decide on interventional treatment?
In all these treatments, decisions are made with a multidisciplinary approach, not only by interventional radiology specialists, but also by physicians such as medical oncology, radiation oncology, general surgery, nuclear medicine, urology, chest diseases, gastroenterology specialists who diagnose the disease and regulate its treatment.
Which methods are applied?
It can be divided into two main groups as ablation and embolization methods. Radiofrequency, cryo, microwave, electroporation can be counted among ablation methods. Under the guidance of digital imaging, special needles are inserted into the tumor tissue by using tomography or ultrasound. The tumor tissue is completely destroyed by heating in radiofrequency, microwave techniques, and freezing in cryoablation technique. In the electroporation procedure, which has recently been used, the electric current is applied to the tumor with the help of needles. The electric current destroys the tumor tissue by breaking the cell membranes. This treatment is especially used in cancers adjacent to vital tissues. The tumor can be completely destroyed while preserving the vessels, biliary tract and urinary ducts. These ablation methods are applied in major cancer centers in the USA and have similar results with surgery in tumors less than 5 cm in diameter.
There are embolization methods that prolong life and improve quality of life in patients with liver cancer that cannot be surgically performed. Embolization is the procedure of slowing or stopping tumor growth by occlusion of the vessels that feed the tumor. This method can be combined with chemotherapy drugs and its effectiveness can be increased. In addition, it can be combined with regional radiation emitting atoms to prolong the life expectancy in the patient group unresponsive to chemotherapy. This method is quite well tolerated. It can be done on an outpatient basis while in the hospital.
How is the procedure done?
In the ablation procedure, a needle is inserted through the skin to the area where the tumor is located, with local anesthesia and painkillers, by using tomography or ultrasound, and the tumor is destroyed. In the embolization room, there is a section that feeds the tumor through the hepatic artery with the help of thin tubes by entering the inguinal artery in the angiography room. Occlusive particles, chemotherapy drugs or atoms that apply local radiation are injected.
What kind of process awaits the patient after the procedure?
The patient is followed up in the hospital for one day. In a few days, he can return to his daily activities.
In which patients can these methods be applied?
It is applied in liver, lung, kidney, soft tissue and some benign bone tumors (such as osteoid osteoma).
Who are the most suitable patients for treatment?
15-20% of patients diagnosed with liver cancer can be operated. This is due to the size or number of tumors being too large for surgery or conditions that hinder surgery such as cirrhosis, lung, and heart disease. If there are up to 5 tumors fewer than 4 cm, ablation methods are applied, while embolization methods are used in larger tumors. As a result of these treatments, the tumor can be destroyed or reduced to a size suitable for surgical operation.
What are the advantages of these methods?
- The patient is not taken anesthesia
- There is not major surgical incisions and scars
- Short procedure time
- After the procedure, the patient can continue his daily life.
- The patient does not feel any serious pain.
- Less costly than conventional surgery