Lexington Medical Center Leads Cancer Fight with Microwave Ablation
December 15, 2008
New Procedure Destroys Tumors with Simple Procedure
WEST COLUMBIA, SC – December 15, 2008 – Columbia, S.C. – Lexington Medical Center is the first hospital in South Carolina to perform Microwave Ablation, a unique new treatment that can destroy a tumor with an outpatient procedure that does not require surgery.
In microwave ablation, a physician inserts a skinny needle into a tumor with a CT scanner guiding the placement. The needle delivers energy that heats up the tumor enough to cause cell death. The treatment can literally vaporize the tumor in 10 minutes or less. The patient can return home cancer-free the same day without scars, chemotherapy, radiation or surgery.
Lexington Medical Center interventional radiologist Dr. David Knight is performing microwave ablation at the hospital’s main campus in West Columbia. He said it is a good treatment for primary liver, lung and kidney cancer. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved microwave ablation in September, 2008. It is largely covered by insurance.
“The advantage to the patient is that it is minimally-invasive and has a short recovery time,” Dr. Knight said.
Microwave ablation is a more advanced form of Radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which has been performed at Lexington Medical Center since 2002. That technology used radiofrequencies instead of microwaves. It was not as powerful as this new procedure. The benefit of Microwave ablation is that it can kill larger tumors and more quickly.
About Lexington Medical Center
Lexington Medical Center, in West Columbia, S.C., anchors a county-wide health care network that includes six community medical centers throughout Lexington County. The network also includes the largest extended care facility in the state, an occupational health center and physician practices. At its heart is the 384-bed state-of-the-art Lexington Medical Center, with a reputation for the highest quality care. Lexington Medical Center was voted one of the “Best Places to Work” by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, “Best Hospital” by readers of The State nine years in a row, “Best Hospital” by readers of The Free Times and “Best Place to Have a Baby” by readers of Palmetto Parent.
Visit www.lexmed.com.
