Treatments

Microwave ablation uses microwave energy to generate heat to kill and shrink cancerous tumor cells in your kidney, lungs and liver. Northwestern Medicine interventional oncologists place a small microwave antenna inside a tumor to slow the progression of tumor growth or shrink them to the point where they can be safely removed with surgery.

Non-Vascular Minimally Invasive Interventional Therapy refers to medical procedures that do not involve the blood vessels but still utilize minimally invasive techniques. These interventions are designed to treat various conditions or diseases with minimal damage to surrounding tissues, often using small incisions or image-guided approaches. Examples may include non-vascular interventions for musculoskeletal conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, or certain respiratory issues.

Radioembolization is a minimally invasive procedure that combines embolization and radiation therapy to treat cancers in the liver. Tiny beads filled with a radioactive isotope are placed inside the blood vessels that supply a tumor.

The NanoKnife System reimagines localized therapy through its unique mechanism of action, improving precision1, expanding versatility, and increasing preservation giving you the control to tailor treatments with confidence.

Iodine-125 seed implantation has several advantages over other forms of radiation therapy, including higher local control, fewer side effects and shorter treatment time.

Cryoablation is a therapeutic process employed in the medical field to eradicate unhealthy cell clusters, including those found in tumors. During this procedure, a thin, elongated apparatus referred to as a cryoprobe, akin to a tiny wand, is carefully inserted to the site of the anomalous cells

Surgery is one of the main treatments for cancer. It may be used by itself or with other cancer treatments.It's natural to feel nervous before surgery. Knowing what to expect, how to plan for surgery and the recovery process can help.

Being prepared and understanding radiation therapy can help lessen some of the stress surrounding your treatment.

Chemotherapy (or “chemo”) is the use of anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells. Combination therapy is when a number of drugs may be given at the same time. Sometimes only one drug is used. Chemotherapy may be used before or after surgery or radiation therapy, or together with radiation therapy.

Testing the effectiveness of particular medicines and treatments.

Palliative care aims to enhance quality of life and allow people to maintain their independence

During your cancer journey you may hear about, or become interested in, complementary therapies. There are many therapies on offer and information about these can be confusing. The information below will help you to make informed and safe choices.

This technique delivers high doses of chemotherapy drugs directly to the tumor through a catheter inserted into an artery. This can increase the effectiveness of the drugs and reduce the side effects on the rest of the body. Arterial infusion chemotherapy can be performed with or without a port system, which is a device implanted under the skin that allows repeated access to the artery. It can be combined with other treatments, such as immunotherapy or targeted therapy, to enhance the anti-tumor response.

While chemotherapy works to kill cancer cells, immunotherapy aims to boost the body's own immune system to fight cancer. Checkpoint immunotherapy is currently available in Australia for some types of cancer.

Some cancers grow in response to particular hormones. These cancers are known as hormone-dependent cancers. They include some types of breast, uterine and prostate cancers. The aim of hormone therapy is the slow or stop the growth of hormone receptor positive cells.

Radiofrequency ablation, or RFA, is a minimally invasive technique that shrinks the size of tumors, nodules or other growths in the body. RFA is used to treat a range of conditions, including benign and malignant tumors, chronic venous insufficiency in the legs, as well as chronic back and neck pain.

Targeted therapy is a type of drug treatment. It attacks specific cancer cell features, known as molecular targets, to stop the cancer growing and spreading.

Proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy — a treatment that uses high-powered energy to treat cancer and some noncancerous tumors. Radiation therapy using X-rays has long been used to treat these conditions. Proton therapy is a newer type of radiation therapy that uses energy from positively charged particles (protons).

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment that uses special drugs, sometimes called photosensitizing agents, along with light to kill cancer cells. The drugs only work after they have been activated or “turned on” by certain kinds of light.