Minimally Invasive Cancer Therapy
What are Minimally Invasive Cancer Therapies?
Interventional Radiologists use several minimally invasive techniques for liver, kidney, bone and lung tumors. Often times these are used in conjunction with surgery or other oncology treatments.
- Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy (RFA)
- Chemoembolization
- Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIR-spheres)
- Cryoablation or Cryotherapy
These services are available through our practice at Inova Fairfax Hospital. Should you wish to schedule a consultative appointment call (703) 776-3832.
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) - is a minimally invasive treatment for cancer. It is an image-guided technique that heats and destroys cancer cells.
In radiofrequency ablation, imaging techniques such as ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) are used to help guide a needle electrode into a cancerous tumor. High-frequency electrical currents are then passed through the electrode, creating heat that destroys the abnormal cells.
Chemoembolization - Is a combination of chemotherapy and a procedure called embolization. It is used to treat cancer, most often of the liver.
During chemoembolization, anti-cancer drugs are injected directly into a cancerous tumor. In addition, synthetic material called an embolic agent is placed inside the blood vessels that supply blood to the tumor, preventing blood from flowing to the diseased tissue and to keep the chemotherapy from washing into the rest of the body. It is a palliative (not curative) treatment.
Localized Internal Radiation or brachytherapy is an innovative approach used to treat liver cancer in cases where it is not possible to surgically remove the tumors. It is a targeted, internal radiation therapy delivered directly to the tumor through the bloodstream using tiny polymer (plastic) beads or microspheres which contain a radioactive element, yytrium-90. A small catheter is guided into the liver and the microspheres are infused through the catheter and carried to the tumor through the small blood vessels feeding the tumor. It is generally not regarded as a cure but has been shown to shrink tumors more than chemotherapy alone. Quality of life can improve and life expectancy may increase.
Cryoablation or Cryotherapy - is a minimally invasive treatment that uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy diseased tissue, including cancer cells.
In cryotherapy, liquid nitrogen or argon gas is applied to diseased cells. Interventional radiologists use image-guidance techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) to help guide these freezing substances to treatment sites located inside the body.
Learn more about our interventional radiologists
Other Vascular Services / Conditions
- Diagnostic Vascular Imaging
- Peripheral Arterial Disease
- Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting (for carotid, renal, mesenteric and peripheral arteries)
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)
- Uterine Fibroids / Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE)
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Varicose Veins
- Treatment of vertebral compression fractures resulting from osteoporosis or other disease
- Minimally invasive cancer therapy for liver, kidney, bone and lung tumors
- Central Venous Access Catheters and Filters
For more information on these as well as other interventional radiology procedures, please visit www.sirweb.org/patients/
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In This Section
- Breast Imaging
- CT/CAT Scan
- Coronary CTA
- Diagnostic Radiology
- Health Screening
- Image Guided Biopsies
- MRI/MRA
- Neuro-interventional
- Nuclear Medicine
- Pain Management
- Pediatric Radiology
- PET/CT
- Ultrasound
- Vascular and Interventional
