Radiofrequency Ablation needles
Radio frequency ablation is an imaging guided technique whereby small electrodes are inserted into tumours – usually in the liver, lung and kidneys. There is a heating effect at the tip of the electrode such that the malignant tissue is destroyed. This treatment often negates the need for more aggressive surgery or chemotherapy but sometimes acts as an adjunct to these other procedures.
Nationwide provision of this service is patchy and prior to our involvement, local patients had to travel to London if ablative treatment was considered necessary. We fell that it is important to establish this as a routine treatment at Ipswich and Cancer Campaign in Suffolk raised £13,000 for the radio frequency ablation needles. This amount was originally thought to have been enough to provide the equipment for a two year period, however, there was such a call for this treatment to be carried out locally, that our initial injection of funding lasted less than a year. This is therefore an ongoing appeal in order to continuing supporting this important service.