Utilization of interventional oncology treatments in the United States

To report on the recent national trends in utilization of interventional oncology (IO) treatments, assess the use of these techniques relative to the utilization of alternative oncologic treatments, and provide an assessment of which specialties are providing these services.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Physicians/Supplier Procedure Summary Master Files from 2002 through 2008 and Limited Data Set Standard Analytical Files from 2002 through 2007 were used to determine utilization rates of ablative therapies and transarterial embolizations for malignant neoplasms and comparable surgical procedures.

In 2008, 10,045 IO treatments were performed in the Medicare population, or 29 per 100,000 Medicare enrollees. IO treatments of the liver constituted the largest component, at 64%, followed by the kidneys at 23%. Over a period of 6 years, growth was seen in all IO procedures except for transarterial embolizations for renal tumors. Radiologists performed 91% of all IO procedures in 2008.

IO utilization is modest in volume, but growing. IO treatments comprised the majority of oncologic treatments in the liver but only a small part of treatments in the kidneys and lungs. Radiologists are currently providing the vast majority of IO treatments.