Cancer Treatment

Interventional radiology plays a vital role in the minimally invasive treatment of many types of cancer, as well as a palliative role, reducing the pain caused by cancer. The unique skill set of the interventional radiologist allows him or her to deliver powerful, targets cancer treatments throughout the body using catheters and the venous system.

Techniques used in cancer treatment include:

Using the vascular system to deliver chemotherapy medications directly
radiofrequency ablation -- which involves targeting cancerous tissue through imaging and catheters to attach the tissue with radiofrequency energy (heat).

Cryoablation -- which uses cold instead of heat to attach the cancer cells.
embolization, cutting off the blood supply to the tumor
Radioembolization -- delivering radiation to the tumor
Chemoembolization -- a combination of embolization and chemotherapy delivered directly to the tumor

Gene therapy
Laser Therapy -- causing cell death through the delivery of laser energy through a fiber optic probe
Vertebroplasty -- using medical-grade bone cement to stabilize fractures that can occur in the spine due to bone cancer

Types of cancer that have been successfully treated using minimally invasive interventional radiology techniques include:

Breast Cancer
Kidney Cancer
Liver Cancer
Lung Cancer

Learn more about treating cancer through interventional radiology techniques at SIR.