Tumour therapies : these treatments are intended to shrink or destroy tumours at their primary site or which have spread to other areas (metastases) For example liver, kidney, bone / lung tumours which can be treated by: 1. Destructive therapies (ablation): usually involves applying heat (from radiofrequency, laser, microwave, ultrasound wave energy) or cold damage (cryotherapy) to a tumour – via a probe inserted into it – under image guidance to ensure the probe correctly targets the tumour or area to be treated. 2. Embolisation: a minimally invasive treatment that occludes, or blocks, one or more blood vessels or vascular channels in the body. In a catheter embolisation procedure, medications or synthetic materials called embolic agents are placed through a catheter into a blood vessel to prevent blood flow to the area. These treatments are performed and monitored using imaging (ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) Hepatic Artery Embolisation (HAE – also known as TAE – Transhepatic Arterial Embolisation). The liver’s unique dual blood supply (approximately 2/3rd is via portal veins and 1/3rd via the hepatic artery) allows for embolisation (/ the delivery of treatment and embolisation) via the hepatic artery without compromising blood supply to the unaffected liver. This is useful in neuroendocrine cancer that may occur within the liver – as it tends to latch onto / develop its own blood supply attached to branches of the Hepatic Artery. By blocking (embolising) these branches you can essentially starve the tumour of oxygen and nutrients, causing the cancer cells within it to shrink / die.
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