PGI state-of-the-art technology comes to aid of two cancer patients

CHANDIGARH: The department of radiodiagnosis at the PGI has recently treated two patients, one having liver cancer and the other renal cancer, using the state-of-the-art cryoablation machine. Due to comorbid conditions, surgery could not be done on these patients as they could not be given general anaesthesia. The procedures were performed under local anaesthesia with minimal sedation.

"The cryoablation machine at the PGI is the first of its kind installed anywhere in the country," said Prof M S Sandhu, head, department of radiodiagnosis, PGI. He said cryoablation could help in the treatment of a few selective patients with cancer of liver, pancreas, kidneys and prostrate among others.

Cryoablation works on the principle of 'freeze-thaw-freeze' cycle. Freezing destroys the tumour cells by both mechanical and inflammatory mechanisms. Under image guidance, probes of various sizes are placed accurately inside the tumour. Freezing with argon gas forms an 'ice ball' inside the tumour, which is then thawed using helium gas. Usually, a 30-minute cycle destroys the tumour in question.

"The advantage of cryoablation is that it causes insignificant pain as it numbs the surrounding nerves by achieving very low sub zero temperatures, as low as 150°C, and there is no damage to the collateral structures," said Prof Naveen Kalra, who performed this procedure with his team on the liver cancer patients.

"Most of the other ablation methods for tumours like radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation generate heat at the site of the tumour and are prone to cause collateral damage. Besides, the techniques are very painful," said Prof Mandeep Kang of the same department.