Living with cancer is quite challenging and requires a lot of patience and confidence. People living with cancer usually do whatever it takes to ensure the cancer is treated in stages 1 and 2 because if it advances to stages 3 and 4, all that is left is palliative care. For these reasons, people with cancer require understanding and supportive family members and health care teams on their side. Therefore, if you have cancer and are seeking treatment, South Florida vascular associates are here to your rescue. They offer various treatment options, including radioembolization, chemoembolization, and percutaneous kyphoplasty. Below is all you need to know concerning interventional oncology.
What is interventional oncology?
Typically, interventional oncology refers to various minimally invasive procedures that are image-guided and are used to diagnose and treat cancer. These procedures usually minimize discomforts, avoid hospital time and maximize the results because they are less invasive than traditional surgery. It is usually the best solution for people with kidney, lung, bone, colon, or liver cancer.
What are the options in interventional oncology?
Some of the interventional oncology procedures include:
-
Venous access device placement
A venous access device refers to a catheter inserted directly into your vein. The device creates a point where fluids, medications, and other cancer therapies can be administered. For instance, most cancer patients require a venous access device since chemotherapy medication weakens and damages arm veins.
-
Chemoembolization
Chemoembolization is used to deliver large chemotherapy drugs directly into your tumor. During the same procedure blocking agents are administered to cut off blood supply to cancer. The technique helps get rid of cancer without damaging healthy tissues, which prevents the unwanted effects of intravenous chemotherapy.
-
Percutaneous ablation
It is a procedure applied to destroy bone, liver, or kidney tumors. During this procedure, the health care team uses an x-ray or ultrasound guidance to probe directly into the cancer. The procedure is safe, reliable, and effective as traditional surgery for small cancers and can even cure them. In cases of bone tumors, your health care team usually performs a procedure to prevent fractures and improve bone strength.
-
Percutaneous kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty
They are procedures used to restore spinal vertebral fractures due to tumors. Percutaneous kyphoplasty involves inflating the collapsed vertebra using a small balloon containing bone cement. The process is the same in vertebroplasty, except there is no balloon. In most cases, after your percutaneous ablation when you have bone tumors, you undergo vertebroplasty or percutaneous kyphoplasty to prevent fractures.
-
Radioembolization
It is a procedure that involves placing radioactive beads into liver tumors. It is commonly used for late-stage liver cancer. Radioembolization is the best for people who are not suitable candidates for percutaneous ablation or chemoembolization. It usually gives high radiation therapeutic doses without harming surrounding organs.
-
Transcatheter embolization
Mainly used to inject occluding agents to cut blood supply to the kidney. It is used to treat kidney cancer.
Chemoembolization, radioembolization, percutaneous ablation, percutaneous kyphoplasty, and vertebroplasty are effective interventional oncology procedures for cancer. Therefore, if you have cancer and seek treatment, you can get started by calling or consulting South Florida Vascular Associates today.
