Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant neoplasms, and its prognosis is worsened by late detection of the disease. At the same time, condemnation in medicine means that new, more and more effective therapies are available for patients, including those less invasive. In Poland, the first treatment with one of them has just been performed. To use it, it was necessary to cool the tools to a very low temperature.
- The groundbreaking procedure was performed by radiologists from the Medical University of Warsaw
- The patient was a man after liver transplantation who developed lung metastasis a few years after the transplantation
- “Unfortunately in Poland (…) the delay in the availability of interventional radiology for cancer patients is 15-20 years compared to Western countries” – it is stated
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
Interventional radiologists from the University Clinical Center of the Medical University of Warsaw (UCK WUM) performed the first lung cancer cryoablation procedure in Poland – the university announced on Wednesday.
Cryoablation is a method that belongs to a wide range of interventional radiology treatments used in cancer patients. It is used to treat patients with tumors of the lungs, kidneys, bones and soft tissues. The advantages of this method include very high efficiency (approx. 90% with small nodules) and safety. The rate of serious complications is several times lower than with surgical methods. The procedure involves a short hospital stay and does not deteriorate lung function or quality of life.
This non-invasive life-saving procedure was performed on Wednesday by a team of interventional radiologists from the XNUMXnd Department of Radiology at the University Clinical Center of the Medical University of Warsaw. The team leader was prof. Olgierd Rowiński. The team was composed of Krzysztof Milczarek, Dariusz Konecki and Grzegorz Rosiak (interventional radiologists), Alicja Kwiatkowska (anesthesiologist), Piotr Wesołowski (anesthesiologist), Magda Sobotka (electroradiologist). The patient’s physician is Joanna Raszeja-Wyszomirska (hepatologist).
The rest of the article is available under the video.
The patient has previously received a liver transplant because of hepatocellular carcinoma – describes the Medical University of Warsaw in a press release. The transplant was a success, however after five years, a small (8 mm in diameter) metastasis of this tumor appeared in the lung. The operation would be an extensive procedure, with a higher risk of complications and a longer stay in the hospital. In addition, the patient’s immunity after transplantation is constantly weakened, which increases the risks associated with the operation.
That is why doctors decided to use a minimally invasive cryoablation. As the name suggests, the goal was to destroy the tumor by freezing it with minimal damage to healthy tissue.
The cryoablation procedure consisted of inserting two needles through the skin into a lump in the lung. The tips of the needles were cooled to -120 degrees Celsius. After several cycles of freezing and thawing, the nodule was destroyed.
Since the procedure was performed under the control of computed tomography, the doctors had a constant view of the chest organs, lump and needles. The procedure was uneventful, and there were only two tiny stab marks left on the patient’s skin. The patient is scheduled to be discharged home on June 16, according to the Medical University of Warsaw.
In European countries such as France or Great Britain, typically several hundred cryoablation treatments are performed annually. “Unfortunately in Poland – as indicated by radiologists in their report – the delay in the availability of interventional radiology for cancer patients is 15-20 years compared to Western countries despite the fact that they have long been recommended by international guidelines »- we read in the press release. (PAP)
Author: Paweł Wernicki
pmw / ekr /
Early cancer detection significantly increases the chances of its cure. You can buy a diagnostic test package at Medonet Market.
We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to self-compassion – a trend that has developed very strongly in the United States, but is still in its infancy in Poland. What is it and how does it affect our daily functioning? You will hear about this and many other issues related to self-compassion in the latest episode of our podcast.