Methods of endovascular therapy in oncological diseases

Authors: 

The aim of the lecture – to introduce the readers to endovascular therapy of malignant tumors as a relatively new treatment option of clinical oncology.

First pages of the article contain the actuality of interventional radiological approach as a minimally invasive method of treatment. The author mentions the main methods of endovascular intervention. Mechanisms of action and treatment effects are noticed. The role of angiographic procedures in combined management of malignant tumors is emphasized.

The most common organ for interventional treatment is the liver because liver tumors are supplied from the hepatic artery whereas the normal parenchyma receives its blood supply mainly from the portal vein. Literary data and own clinical results of arterial infusion, transcatheter chemoembolization, radioembolization in primary and metastatic liver tumors are done. The role of pre- and postoperative endovascular procedures is discussed.

Methods of intra-arterial therapy is successfully used in malignant tumors of different location such as head and neck cancer, lung tumors, breast carcinoma, gastrointestinal and genitourinary malignancies, bone and soft tissue sarcoma. The treatment results are promising especially when using combined treatment with inclusion of endovascular intervention.

It is concluded that intra-vascular intervention plays a role in the management of malignant diseases. Interventional radiology can be considered significant treatment option and should be widely used in clinical oncology.