Review -Local Treatment of Metastases (RFA, surgery etc)

[Olga]

I suggest to every patient with the metastatic stage of the disease to read this new excellent review of the local options to treat metastases (versus systemic treatment which is a chemotherapy). The article is written by Robert D. Timmerman, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas and published by the CA Cancer J Clin 2009
© 2009 American Cancer Society The article is provided with its FREE FULL text
It can prolong you life at some point or make it better and you will find an information about options available out there and their limitations and possible complications:

Local Surgical, Ablative, and Radiation Treatment of Metastases
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3 ... 20013/full

also read the letters - correspondence for the article as there are some very good points made by the other doctors re. side effects of the discussed treatments.
http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/eletters/59/3/145

[D.ap]

Olga
The url link is no longer working
Deb
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3 ... .20013/pdf

[Olga]

Thank you Deb, this is the new correct link. However the readers have also note that this article is written in 2009. Since then it was found that cryoablation is better suited for some location. Also the technical advances made it possible to utilize the radiosurgery or SBRT in the locations where it was not used before and that are inaccessible by the local ablative probes (i.e. lung mets located in lung's apexes are treatable by the SBRT now). For the best result and to get an optimal treatment, it is better consult few leading drs from the different fields. Pick carefully as some treatments may preclude you from having some other ones in the future or make them less effective. Some treatment have a narrow window of opportunity - i.e. multiple metastases may preclude you from having an open surgery or bigger mets sizes may preclude you from having a local ablation etc.

[D.ap]

times change huh..
For the good sometimes

Ablate ,surgery and or treat with RFA
We all need to ask questions as to what if we do this etc ?

Debbie