interventional oncology?

[paki20]

I enjoy basic science research, specifically cancer biology, and wanted to explore interventional oncology more. Would basic science research be feasible as a interventional oncologist in an academic setting? Any one have any good resources or can point me to other threads regarding interventional oncology? I wanted to know more about what kind of procedures they though.

Also, any possibility of turf war with medical oncologists/radiation oncologists/surgical oncologists/vascular surgeons??

How would the new clinical IR model fit in with interventional oncologists since I'm assuming medical oncologists would continue to oversee those patients?

Sorry for such ignorant questions, I'm just learning more about interventional radiology and was intrigued by interventional oncology.

Appreciate the help, thanks!

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[irwarrior]

Interventional oncology is a rapdily growing field in IR. The leaders in IO would like to see 4 pillars in the care of the cancer patient (Surgiclal oncology, medical oncology, radiation oncology and finally interventional oncology). There are some great procedures that they perform. INcluding trans arterial treatments of liver cancer (drug eluting beads, internal beam radiation therapy, chemoembolization). A growing number of ablative treatments of liver cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, bone metastases. The ablative treatments include rfa, microwave, cryoablation, IRE (irreversible electroporation (promising for unresectable pancreatic cancer), HIFU etc.

As far as turf. There will always be turf issues for anything that is highly desirable in medicine (finances and egos). You need to be willing to compete and that includes marketing directly to patients etc. It is also critical in this day and age to have something that is effective based on good evidence and also it is important that you have outcome analysis such as cost effectiveness and quality of life. If you get a few months of additional survival but the patient is miserable for those few months it may not be worth it.

In the case of a clinical IR, it is critical to follow patients for the lifetime of the patient and have global understanding of the disease. A handful of IR actually prescribe systemic chemotherapy such as nexavar. I personally don't think you should do IO if you are unwilling or unable to follow these patients for life and counsel them on when it is appropriate to enter a palliative care or hospice program.

Some cancers the IR act as the primary following the patient such as hepatocellular cancer, stage 1a kidney cancer etc.

I would encourage you to check out www.sirweb.org, www.io-central.org , www.ecio.org and www.cirse.org. There are some great IO meetings including WCIO, SIR, CIO, etc.

Hope that helps.