Transcatheter and ablative therapeutic approaches for solid malignancies.

Area of Science:

• Interventional Radiology
• Oncology
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Solid malignancies present significant treatment challenges.
• Locoregional therapies provide targeted treatment options for various cancers.
• Liver cancer treatment commonly utilizes these minimally invasive approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a concise overview of widely used locoregional transcatheter and ablative therapies for solid tumors.
• To emphasize therapies commonly used for liver cancer, including pulmonary, renal, and bone tumors.
• To analyze available data and discuss the role of these techniques in cancer management.

Main Methods:

• Extensive MEDLINE search for relevant literature.
• Categorization of therapies into catheter-based, chemical ablative, and thermal ablative approaches.
• Review of techniques including transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, bland embolization, drug-eluting microspheres, ethanol injection, radiofrequency ablation, laser induced thermotherapy, microwave ablation, cryoablation, and high-intensity focused ultrasound.

Main Results:

• Locoregional therapies are used for palliation and curative intent.
• Evidence indicates clear survival benefits and excellent local tumor control.
• Improved quality of life is associated with these treatments.

Conclusions:

• Image-guided transcatheter and ablative approaches are crucial in cancer management.
• Technological advancements are enhancing the efficacy and application of these therapies.
• These minimally invasive techniques are expected to further improve patient outcomes in oncology.