Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for patients with inoperable tumours

Anne, I did 6 rounds of Gem/Cis chemo after the first resection and it did take its toll on my body. My toes rubbing together feel like there is sandpaper there between them…but only on the left foot. The other foot seemed to improve and lost that feeling. I don’t have pain in my legs or feet, but plenty of numbness…not all over…but in ‘areas” It’s very weird. What chemo did your husband do? Every night when I go to sleep….I have to find a comfortable position for my feet…as my heels are overly sensitive since doing the chemo and they start hurting within a half hour if my toes are straight up. Otherwise, my side effects from the chemo include kidney damage, chemo brain and some hearing impairment.

Unless ICC comes back in somewhere truely inoperable or ablateable, then I’m sticking with no chemo for now. I agree….chemo does have awful after effects.

Julie

Anne,

RFA and MWA (microwave ablation) are very similar. I just had microwave ablation Aug 31st and it was very, very simple. My side effects were a temp for about 3-4 evenings (with chills) that started about day 3, and a slight tenderness at the needle site, just under the skin that lasted about two days, but didn’t bother unless I pressed on it.

I think that RFA is generally now used for larger tumors and MWA for smaller than 3 cm. I have heard of larger ones than you mentioned being ablated, but it has to be done in more than one…or even more passes with the ablation process. The smaller the tumor, the more likely it is completely ablated in one session and a redo isn’t necessary. There have been a lot of improvements in ablation in the past 4-5 years.

I am totally sold on ablation wherever it can be used. Recovery was simple. Some doctors keep patients overnight in the hospital (mine for one) and some dismiss the same day.

Ablation can usually spare more “good” liver tissue than resection, though there are times that ablation can not be used, or it is riskier to use than resection, such as when it is too close to an artery or vein….or another organ. There are techniques they can use, even so, to make even some of the more difficult situations possible. I asked my IR guy how many tumors in the liver they would attempt to ablate….and his response was about 3…..but I think it depended on size and location.

My tumor this time was 1.1 cm….fairly small. I’ve previously had a resection for a 5 cm tumor in 2014 and another resection for a 1.5 cm tumor in 2015.

I healed quickly from the resections (laproscopic), but the ablation was simple and fast. I’m fine now…no after effects. I had two trips to the ER after getting home that were unrelated to the ablation and CC. Go figure!!!

Julie T.

The main problem I’m having is finding an oncologist who will continue with this line of treatment if possible. They seem to only want to do chemo past two recurrences.