NanoKnife^® System

Interventional Radiology: NanoKnife^®

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) recently introduced the NanoKnife^® System, a minimally invasive option for patients with tumors in challenging or high-risk locations, such as the liver, pancreas or kidney.

Instead of using microwave energy, extreme heat or extreme cold, the NanoKnife System uses electrical currents to destroy cancerous tumors.

How Does NanoKnife Work?

While the patient is under general anesthesia, the interventional radiologist carefully guides up to six thin needles (electrodes) into the patient’s body and strategically places them around the tumor.

Then, the NanoKnife System sends electrical pulses or currents between each set of needles to puncture permanent nanometer-sized holes into the tumor. This process, called irreversible electroporation (IRE), causes the cancer cells to be unbalanced and triggers a cell “suicide,” thereby destroying the tumor.

The electrical pulses are contained between the electrodes, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy cell tissue, blood vessels and other important structures. After the tumor is destroyed, the body naturally rids itself of the dead cells, which are replaced with healthy cells.

The procedure lasts from two to four hours. After the procedure, the patient is hospitalized overnight for observation and typically discharged the following day. The patient is also given antibiotics before and after the procedure to prevent infection.

Potential Benefits of NanoKnife

NanoKnife provides a minimally invasive option for patients with inoperable or difficult-to-reach tumors, including tumors located near critical structures in the body, such as the gallbladder, bile ducts, bowel and major blood vessels.

Instead of using extreme heat or cold, which could damage normal adjacent tissues, the NanoKnife System uses electrical currents to destroy cancerous tumors.

The following are potential benefits of treatment with the NanoKnife System:

• No open incisions
• Less damage to healthy tissue
• Minimal postoperative pain
• Reduced side effects
• Short hospital stay
• Quick recovery
• Ability to repeat the procedure if new tumors develop

Cancer Types Treated with NanoKnife

NanoKnife can be used to treat patients with liver, pancreatic and kidney cancers, as well as patients with tumors in or near the retroperitoneum, adrenal glands, lymph nodes, pelvic region or other soft tissue masses.

A patient with a primary or metastatic tumor that is considered inoperable, and is typically less than three centimeters, may be eligible for NanoKnife.

NanoKnife may also be a promising option for patients with limited treatment options or if other treatments have failed. Patients with a cardiac pacemaker, abnormal heartbeat, or nerve stimulators are not eligible for this procedure.

Where is NanoKnife Being Offered?

In July 2012, CTCA at Eastern Regional Medical Center (Eastern) in Philadelphia became the first CTCA hospital to add the NanoKnife System to its treatment options. Additionally, Eastern is one of a few dozen cancer hospitals in the country, and the first in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, to offer the technology.

NanoKnife procedures are performed by Eastern’s interventional radiologists, Dr. Steven Wagner or Dr. Scott Price.

CTCA at Midwestern Regional Medical Center, our hospital in Zion, Illinois, is also offering NanoKnife.