Overview
Patients with tumors in the liver and pancreas that are inoperable or difficult to reach may be eligible for a procedure performed with the NanoKnife System. It uses electrical currents to kill cancer cells.
Specially trained Holy Name Medical Center oncologists have expertise in using the NanoKnife, which has been successful in treating tumors located near critical structures and major blood vessels in the body. Unlike other modalities that also destroy cancer cells, the targeted electrical currents spare adjacent tissues while killing the cancer cells, allowing its use near important blood vessels without damaging them.
For many patients with inoperable liver tumors or locally advanced pancreatic cancers, the NanoKnife may be a treatment option for patients not eligible for conventional treatment. Recovery after a NanoKnife procedure is also faster than traditional surgery.
Procedure
Physicians place the patient under general anesthesia and then strategically guide needles (electrodes) around the tumor. Electrical pulses or currents are sent between the needles, minimizing damage to healthy tissue and blood vessels while destroying the tumor cells. The procedure takes between two and four hours and typically requires a 3 to 4 day hospital stay.
Benefits
- Less damage to healthy tissue
- Fewer side effects
- Less post-operative pain
- Quicker post-operative recovery
- Ability to repeat if new tumors develop
