The current status of angiography in the evaluation of cancer patients

Angiography has maintained a central role in the preoperative evaluation of patients with both benign and malignant tumors. A great deal of experience has accumulated with the method and the angiographic appearance of most tumors is well established. Although most cancer patients are first evaluated by less invasive techniques,angiography remains the most accurate method for the diagnosis of tumors of the liver and pancreas. In those patients in whom excision of a malignancy is considered, angiograms should be used preoperatively to assess both the resectability and curability of the lesion. In patients with carcinoma of the lung or esophagus invading the azygos vein or in patients with pancreatic carcinoma invading the visceral veins, needless radical operative procedures can be avoided. Finally, as angiographers are becoming more therapy-oriented, the palliative effects of selective arterial embolization with radioactive and infarcting materials are being evaluated.