Lung Cancer Treatment Advances, Anniversary Of Peter Jennings Death

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Lung Cancer
Article Date: 28 Aug 2006 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Advances in Lung Cancer Treatments: Non-Surgical Procedure Offers New Treatment Option for Patients with Lung Cancer

WHEN:

August 7 is the anniversary of Peter Jennings death from lung cancer.

WHO:

John Rundback, M.D.,FSIR, FAHA, FSVBM, Interventional Radiologist
Director, Interventional Institute, Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck, New Jersey
Associate Professor, Columbia and Holy Name Hospital
Chair, Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation Clinical Trials Network

WHAT:

Dr. Rundback is available to discuss new treatment options for patients with lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer for men and women, claiming the lives of some 90,000 men and 73,000 women annually in the United States.1

-- By the time lung cancer is diagnosed, 85 percent of patients are inoperable, often due to serious coexisting health conditions or poor respiratory function. For these patients, minimally invasive Interventional Radiology procedures can provide effective treatment of the tumor with minimal discomfort and a maintained quality of life.

-- During thermal ablation with RFA or Microwaves, the interventional radiologist uses imaging to guide a small needle through the skin into the tumor; energy is then transmitted to kill the tumor with heat or cold. According to a recent study, fifty-seven percent of lung cancer patients who were treated with thermal ablation survived an additional three years, two years beyond the average life expectancy.2

-- Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) offers a non-surgical, localized treatment that kills the tumor cells with heat, while sparing nearby healthy lung tissue. As a result, ablation is much easier on the patient than systemic therapy, and does not affect overall health. Most people can resume their usual activities in a few days after this outpatient treatment.

-- Microwave ablation utilizes electromagnetic microwaves to agitate the water molecules in the tumor and surrounding tissue, ultimately reversing the cells' polarity. This change in polarity causes the cells to rotate back and forth, causing friction and heat which kills the cell (coagulation necrosis).

1. Scripps Howard News Service: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, May 7, 2006

2. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, July 2006

3975 Fair Ridge Dr., Ste 400 N.
Fairfax, VA 22033
United States

http://www.sirweb.org/news/pressRoom.shtml

• Additional
• References
• Citations