Radiofrequency Ablation for Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is often treated with surgical resection (cutting and removing the tumor). Thermal ablation (the destruction of cancerous tissue with heat) is an alternative to resection. The treatment can be done easily using radiofreqency waves in a technique called radiofrequency ablation (RFA). This procedure can be performed as an open operation or via laparoscopy (a procedure where the operation is performed through small "buttonhole" incisions).

The tumor is first imaged and targeted via an ultrasound probe. A needle tip radiofrequency probe is then inserted into the tumor and heated. The heat kills the tumor while cauterizing (sealing) blood vessels, preventing bleeding and lowering the chance of complications from surgery.

This technique has already been extensively studied and has shown to be a safe and reliable means of ablating liver tumors. Radiofrequency ablation is performed by the Department of Surgical Oncology. More information about this procedure is available at their website.