Cancer is one of the world's most prevalent and dangerous health problems. In 2017, an estimated 1,688,780 new cancer cases will occur in the USA. However, the rapid advancement of medical technology means that there now many treatment options available, which gives cancer suffers more chance of recovery than ever before. One new treatment that has recently gained popularity is Nanoknife surgery:
What is Nanoknife Cancer Surgery?
Nanoknife cancer surgery is a relatively new type of cancer treatment. It uses high-voltage electrical currents to destroy cancerous tumors with great precision. The procedure is carried out with the patient under general anesthetic. The radiologist inserts several (up to six) electrodes into the patient's body, positioning them so that the tumor is surrounded. The positioning of the electrodes is usually guided by ultrasound or CT scans. The Nanoknife system then sends a strong electrical current between the electrodes, killing the tumor cells that they surround. The body naturally eliminates the dead cells and replaces them with new, healthy cells. The procedure usually takes around two to four hours.
When is it used?
The Nanoknife procedure is minimally invasive and has a low risk of damage to surrounding, non-cancerous tissue. As a result, the procedure is often recommended for patients with difficult to reach tumors that are located near critical body structure such as major blood vessels. It is also often used when more conventional treatments have proved ineffective:
- Minimally invasive
- Precise - low risk of damage to surrounding, healthy tissue
- No open incisions, meaning a quick recovery time and minimized risk of infection or complications
- Short hospital stay (an outpatient procedure)
- Easily repeatable should new tumors develop
Nanoknife cancer surgery is currently not a particularly common procedure and is usually reserved for more specialist cases. It is also not appropriate for patients with pacemakers or heart conditions. Should Nanoknife surgery be unavailable, inaccessible or undesirable, there are many other cancer treatment options available.
There are several treatments that, like Nanoknife surgery, aim to avoid the negative side effects of 'traditional' treatments. For example, chemoembolization is a treatment that involves the delivery of chemotherapy (cancer-killing) drugs directly to the tumor. This minimizes the damage to non-cancerous tissues and reduces side-effects such as vomiting. Another alternative is cryotherapy, which destroys cancer cells by freezing them. Like Nanoknife surgery and chemoembolization, cryotherapy is precise and minimally invasive. However, cryotherapy can cause side effects including pain and bruising.
Contact a medical center like ATLAS ONCOLOGY for more information and assistance.