Cancer

　　 Like normal body cells, cancerous cells are fed by blood vessels. A physician typically inserts a catheter at a point in the groin to access the femoral artery, although he or she may sometimes use an artery from the arm. While monitoring the location of the catheter using fluoroscopy, a type of DSA, the physician steers the catheter through the arterial system to the tumor. Eventually, the physician delivers cancer treatment through the catheter directly to the tumor. The physician may also use long, thin needles to deliver treatment to cancer tumors. Indication The following types of cancer therapes are administered using interventional techniques: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)- embolization materials and chemical drugs are injected through a catheter that is placed directly into an artery that supplies a cancer tumor. TACE appears to hold promise especially for aggressive liver cancers. Transarterial chemical infusion (TACI)- chemical drugs are directly infused into tumor to kill cancerous cells. This method is adaptable for treatment of many different types of cancer. Advantages Interventional therapy deposits chemotherapy drugs directly into the tumor, sparing healthy tissue. Therefore, a physician can safely use higher doses of these drugs. The benefits of this method include:

• Requires fewer anesthetics;
• Causes less trauma to the body;
• Typically causes less pain and few general side effects;
• Results in a shorter hospital stay;
• Requires a shorter recovery period

Possible Complications The side effects and complications of interventional therapy depend upon the reason for the procedure and location of interventional treatment. In general, interventional therapy is safe and commonly associated with only minor side effects, including:

• Low-grade fever
• Nausea
• Pain

The most serious risk is that an interventional procedure may cause hemorrhage, or bleeding, and in very rare instance: death.