Eric van Sonnenberg & William McMullen 
Tumor Ablation 
Principles and Practice

There is an enormous sense of excitement in the communities of cancer research and cancer care as we move into the middle third of the ?rst decade of the 21st century. For the ?rst time, there is a true sense of c- ?dence that the tools provided by the human genome project will enable cancer researchers to crack the code of genomic abnormalities that allow tumor cells to live within the body and provide highly speci?c, virtually non-toxic therapies for the eradication, or at least ?rm control of human cancers. There is also good reason to hope that these same lines of inquiry will yield better tests for screening, early detection, and prev- tion of progression beyond curability. While these developments provide a legitimate basis for much op- mism, many patients will continue to develop cancers and suffer from their debilitating effects, even as research moves ahead. For these in- viduals, it is imperative that the cancer ?eld make the best possible use of the tools available to provide present day cancer patients with the best chances for cure, effective palliation, or, at the very least, relief from symptoms caused by acute intercurrent complications of cancer. A modality that has emerged as a very useful approach to at least some of these goals is tumor ablation by the use of physical or physiochemical approaches.

Table of Content

to Ablation.- History of Ablation.- Epidemiology: How to Appraise the Ablation Literature Critically.- Image-Guided Tumor Ablation: Basic Science.- Tumor Angiogenesis: General Principles and Therapeutic Approaches.- Operations for Tumor Ablation.- Image-Guided Tumor Ablation: How to Build a Practice.- Anesthesia for Ablation.- Devices, Equipment, and Operation of Ablation Systems.- Imaging for Tumor Ablation.- Intraoperative Ultrasound-Guided Procedures.- Computed Tomography Imaging for Tumor Ablation.- Positron Emission Tomography Imaging for Tumor Ablation.- Ultrasound Imaging in Tumor Ablation.- Magnetic Resonance Imaging Guidance for Tumor Ablation.- Magnetic Resonance Imaging Guidance of Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation for Cancer Treatment.- Image Guidance and Control of Thermal Ablation.- Methods of Ablation.- Percutaneous Ethanol Injection Therapy.- Radiofrequency Ablation.- Microwave Coagulation Therapy for Liver Tumors.- Microwave Ablation: Surgical Perspective.- Percutaneous Laser Therapy of Primary and Secondary Liver Tumors and Soft Tissue Lesions: Technical Concepts, Limitations, Results, and Indications.- Cryoablation: History, Mechanism of Action, and Guidance Modalities.- Combined Regional Chemoembolization and Ablative Therapy for Hepatic Malignancies.- Focused Ultrasound for Tumor Ablation.- New Technologies in Tumor Ablation.- Combination Therapy for Ablation.- Organ System Tumor Ablation.- Ablation of Liver Metastases.- Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.- Radiofrequency Ablation of Neuroendocrine Metastases.- Tumor Ablation in the Kidney.- Radiofrequency Ablation for Thoracic Neoplasms.- Soft Tissue Ablation.- Image-Guided Palliation of Painful Skeletal Metastases.- Radiofrequency Ablation of Osteoid Osteoma.- Image-Guided Prostate Cryotherapy.- Uterine Artery Embolization for Fibroid Disease.- Applications of Cryoablation in the Breast.- Percutaneous Ablation of Breast Tumors.- Complications of Tumor Ablation.- Perspectives.- Tumor Ablation for Patients with Lung Cancer: The Thoracic Oncologist’s Perspective.- Ablative Therapies for Gastrointestinal Malignancies: The Gastrointestinal Oncologist’s Viewpoint.- Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Internists.- The Surgeon’s Perspective on Hepatic Radiofrequency Ablation.- Radiofrequency Tumor Ablation in Children.- Comments from Patients and Their Families.