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Microwave Tumor Ablation

Jun 11, 2021
This article discusses using microwave tumor ablation as an alternative to radiation therapy.

Southern Pain recently performed their first soft tissue microwave ablation.  This is compassionate treatment for a lady with advanced cancer causing destruction of a significant portion of the left side of her pelvis.

Unfortunately, the patient could not tolerate radiation therapy because of the severe pain.  This is the traditional treatment.  She also has been able to undergo chemotherapy secondary to the extreme pain requiring hospitalization.  

Microwave ablation has been very effective in treating large tumors and providing immediate short-term relief. The patient ultimately will have to undergo traditional radiation therapy and chemotherapy to further control and reduce the tumor size.

In the first image below, you will see the size of the patient's tumor pre-treatment. In the second image, the ablation probe has been inserted into the mass and treatment has begun. Lastly, in the third image, you can see that the patient's tumor has experienced a significant decrease in size five days post-treatment.