Thermal Ablation of Tumours: Biological Mechanisms and Advances in Therapy

Overview

Journal Nat Rev Cancer

Specialty Oncology

Date 2014 Feb 25

PMID 24561446

Citations 619

Authors

Katrina F Chu

Damian E Dupuy

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Minimally invasive thermal ablation of tumours has become common since the advent of modern imaging. From the ablation of small, unresectable tumours to experimental therapies, percutaneous radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, cryoablation and irreversible electroporation have an increasing role in the treatment of solid neoplasms. This Opinion article examines the mechanisms of tumour cell death that are induced by the most common thermoablative techniques and discusses the rapidly developing areas of research in the field, including combinatorial ablation and immunotherapy, synergy with conventional chemotherapy and radiation, and the development of a new ablation modality in irreversible electroporation.

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