About Interventional Oncology
Interventional oncology is a type of interventional radiology used for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and cancer-related conditions
At Vascular & Interventional Specialists, we perform a variety of interventional oncology procedures — all minimally invasive, with less pain, fewer side effects, and shorter recovery time.
How interventional oncology works
Interventional oncology procedures offer minimally invasive, image-guided tumor therapies. Since these procedures use minimally invasive interventional radiology techniques, they allow for targeted cancer treatment while minimizing injury to the body.
Together with medical oncology, surgical oncology, and radiation oncology, interventional oncology is part of a multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment, and these treatments are often used in combination.
Interventional oncology procedures
Vascular & Interventional Specialists provides world-class interventional oncology treatment, including biopsies, tumor ablation or cryotherapy, catheter-directed chemotherapy, cancer-related pain treatment, and more.
Biopsies
A biopsy is a diagnostic procedure where a small tissue sample is taken (often from a tumor) and then analyzed for the presence of cancer or other abnormalities. We perform image-guided biopsies to obtain tissue samples endoscopically and non-invasively. In an endoscopic biopsy, a small tube is passed through a small incision or a body orifice (e.g., mouth or rectum) to extract a small amount of tissue from the tumor or affected area.
Tumor ablation or cryotherapy
In tumor ablation, special probes are used to burn (ablation) or freeze (cryotherapy) cancers without invasive surgery. Ultrasound, CT, or MRI imaging is used to guide the probe into the tumor, and the temperature of the tumor is increased or decreased to extreme levels to kill the cancer cells. This type of treatment is often used for small, physical tumors (<3 cm) and is common for treating lung, liver, and kidney cancers.
Catheter-directed chemotherapy
In catheter-directed chemotherapy, a catheter is used to deliver chemotherapy drugs into the blood vessels of a tumor to cut off its blood supply and provide targeted treatment.
Preoperative embolization
Preoperative embolization is a procedure that blocks blood flow to all or part of a tumor or affected organ. A catheter is inserted and guided to the vessels supplying blood to the tumor, where material is injected to block blood flow to the tumor. This type of treatment is usually performed before a more invasive surgery to remove a tumor that is large in size or located in an area with a rich blood supply.
Port catheter placement
Chemotherapy patients have a port or access point where chemotherapy medications are delivered into a large blood vessel. Most often this port is created near the neck, just below the collarbone. A small reservoir (a plastic or metal cylinder) is implanted and connected to a catheter that enters the jugular vein in the neck.
Tunnel peritoneal catheter for malignant ascites/effusion
Some cancer patients experience ascites or effusion — an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen or other body cavity. A catheter can help drain this fluid, allowing patients to drain at home. Draining the excess fluid can relieve discomfort, abdominal fullness, pain, and breathing issues. The catheter is implanted with a minimally invasive procedure.
