Interventional Oncology

Microwave and Radiofrequency Ablation

Using image guidance, fine calibre probes are placed directly into cancers. These probes emit microwaves which allow a controlled heat-based killing of cancers. These procedures are typically performed under general anaesthetic and involve a one or two day hospital stay. Cancers amenable to treatment with microwave ablation are ideally treated when, due to the number of cancers, open surgery is not a viable option or when the patient is unable or unwilling to have a major open surgical procedure. Microwave and radiofrequency ablation are typically used in primary and metastatic cancers in the liver, bone, lung or kidney.

Embolotherapy

Embolisation procedures involve using fine catheters placed in the arteries and directed to the blood supply of the tumour. This is used in the treatment of a large variety of malignant and benign tumours.

Embolotherapy Treatments:

• SIRT: Selective Internal Radiation Therapy. A high dose of radiation is delivered into primary and secondary cancers in the liver.
• TACE and DEB TACE: Transarterial Chemoembolisation (TACE) and Drug Eluting Bead Transarterial Chemoembolisation (DEB TACE). Chemotherapy is delivered directly into the cancer via a catheter.

Biopsy:

• Fine needle, core biopsy of suspected tumours in the breast, chest and abdomen including: lung, lymph nodes, liver, kidney and others.

Other procedures:

• Palliative pain management for bone metastases, nerve and joint pain.
• Palliative treatment of recurrent chest and abdominal fluid accumulations.

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