The role of interventional oncology in the palliative care of cancer patients

Overview

Interventional oncologists have expertise in delivery of state of the art, minimally invasive, image-guided procedures. As such, interventional oncologists are well-suited to provide palliative options for cancer patients, who often have complex comorbidities precluding them from more invasive options. The broad spectrum of procedures developed into clinical practice highlight the integral role of interventional oncology in the palliation of cancer patients. This review will focus on several of the more common procedures performed by interventional oncologists to provide symptomatic relief: 1. Tunneled peritoneal or pleural catheter placement for fluid drainage; Peritoneovenous shunt placement for fluid drainage; 2. Ablation with focus on metastatic bone ablation for pain control; 3. Neurolysis with focus on celiac neurolysis for pain control; 4. Decompressive gastrostomies or cecostomies for gastric and bowel obstruction; 5. Trans-arterial embolization for uncontrolled hemorrhage. A description of each procedure and its relative efficacy in providing palliation will be summarized.