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Short Introduction
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Thermal injury to cells begins at 42 ℃ Only 8 minutes at 46 ℃ is needed to kill malignant cells, and 51 ℃ can be lethal after only 2 minutes. At temperatures above 60 ℃ intracellular proteins are denatured (killed) rapidly, cell membranes are destroyed through dissolution and the melting of lipid bilayers, and lastly, cell death is inevitable.
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a new technique for treating tumors localized to certain organs. A needle electrode is advanced into the targeted tumors via either a percutaneous, laparoscopic, or open (operation) route. The RF energy causes the tissue around the tip of the probe to heat up to a high temperature above which cells break apart and die. For eradication of all cancerous cells, the goal is to place the probes so that they destroy the entire tumor plus an adequate "rim" of non-cancerous tissue around it.
Advantages
* Effective treatment for small cancers
* A minimally invasive procedure with no skin incision, and minimal risk to patient
* Typically little or no pain after the procedure
* Procedure can be repeated if new cancer appears
Indication
With intent to cure:
Liver: for primary or metastatic cancer
Kidney: for small cancers.
Lung: for cancers limited in size and few in number.
Others: uterine tumors, breast cancer, adrenal tumor, local lymphoma
With intent to control pain:
Bone: cancer that has spread to the bones can be treated to control severe pain.
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Detailed Explaination
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The use of heat to tumors has been part of medical practice from Greek and Egyptian times, when superficial tumors are subjected to cautery. In 1970s and early 1980s, the application of heat from an external source became a focus of care when it was noted that malignant cells were more sensitive to heat than normal parenchyma.
Radiofrequency ablation (RF ablation) is a minimally invasive treatment for cancer that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It is used to treat liver and kidney cancer and to manage pain resulting from small bone cancers. RF ablation is an alternative to surgery, when surgery is not likely to be successful or has failed or when other medical conditions increase the risk of surgery.
In November of 1996, Dr. Kenneth Tanabe and Dr. Nahum Goldberg performed the first radiofrequency ablation of a patient with a liver tumor in the United States. This history-making procedure was performed in the operating rooms of the Massachusetts GeneralHospital as part of an Institutional Research Board approved clinical research protocol. The experimental procedure was deemed a success in both efficacy and safety. Following this initial trial, researchers in the Division of Surgical Oncology at the Massachusetts GeneralHospital have continued to lead the way in making cutting edge advances in this field.