The use of cryoablation, a minimally-invasive image-guided technique to target and kill cancer cells, continues to gain traction within the medical field and with patients. This includes the use of cryoablation for the treatment of small breast cancers and focal sites of metastatic disease. In comparison to open surgical approaches, length of hospital stay and recovery time are decreased with the use of cryoablation. Research studies have also found that cryoablation may actually enhance tumor susceptibility to immunotherapy agents. Immunotherapy enhances a person’s own immune system to identify and attack cancer cells. It is proposed that after cryoablation there is increased expression of tumor specific antigens which the body can recognize as foreign invaders and with the combination of immunotherapy, result in an even more robust and efficient attack on the cancer cells. In this review we aim to highlight some of the recent advances in cryoablation which support the potential for cryoablation to induce these tumor-specific immune responses and thus supporting the use of combining cryoablation and immunotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer.
Informed consent is an important part of the clinician-patient relationship. However, studies suggest consent practices tend to be limited in consistency and completeness. This may be particularly challenging for interventional radiology given more limited public awareness and the often fast-paced, dynamic nature of our practices. This article reviews these challenges as well as ideal consent practices and potential approaches to improve consent in interventional radiology. Le consentement éclairé constitue un aspect fondamental de la relation clinicien-patient. Cependant, des études suggèrent que les pratiques relatives au consentement ont tendance à être limitées en matière de cohérence et d’exhaustivité. Cela peut s’avérer particulièrement difficile dans le cadre de la radiologie interventionnelle, compte tenu de la sensibilisation plus restreinte du public et de la nature souvent rapide et dynamique de nos pratiques. Cet article examine ces enjeux, ainsi que les meilleures pratiques relatives au consentement et les approches potentielles pour renforcer le consentement en radiologie interventionnelle.
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