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Dr. Murali examines a
radical approach that accesses and delivers
direct chemotherapy to inoperable tumours
bringing new hope to cancer patients.
Malignancies of various organs are treated
by a combination of techniques, which
include direct surgical resection,
administration of
chemotherapy through peripheral veins and
radiotherapy.
The response for these treatments varies
depending on the tumors and its histological
grading.
Tough on
tumours, kind on patients
Routine
IV chemotherapy has not been found to be
very helpful for patients with liver tumours.
Some patients are not fit for surgical
resection either. Luckily alternative forms
of non-surgical treatment are available.
Here, we direct a catheter (tube) to the
blood vessel that’s supplying the tumour
with blood and administer a chemotherapy
drug directly into the tumor, in combination
with an oily agent called lipiodol. Then, we
block the blood vessel.
Starving the
tumour
The
advantages of this treatment is that by
blocking the blood supply, the tumor is
starved. Further, the chemotherapeutic agent
within the tumor also starts attacking the
tumor cells. Because of a very high local
dose, the toxic effect of the
chemotherapeutic drug is reduced. As it’s
applied directly, it does not attack the
surrounding tissue. If required, this
“chemoembolisation” is repeated multiple
times.
Cooking the
tumour
Radio
frequency tumor ablation: In this technique
special needles are placed in the liver
tumor and the tumour is burnt using RF
waves.
This technique of cooking the tumor and
burning them is done under CT or ultrasound
guidance. The advantage of this technique is
that it is minimally invasive and does not
require open surgery.
RF ablation is used to treat Liver tumors
(2) Inoperable lung tumors (3) Osteoid
osteoma of bones etc.
RF ablation is used along with systemic
chemotherapy or chemoembolisation in liver.
Direct
alcohol injections:
Absolute alcohol is another potent agent
which can be directly given to the liver
tumors, along with chemo embolisation or
radio frequency ablation.
Dr. K. Murali,
MD.P.D.C.C.
Interventional Radiologist
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