Developing a Roadmap for Interventional Oncology

Abstract

Interventional oncology is vital for cancer diagnosis, therapy, and symptom palliation. This report focuses on current interventional procedures and techniques with a look toward future improvements that will improve cancer care and patient outcomes.

Multiplex immune protein profiling of fine‐needle aspirates from patients with non‐small‐cell lung cancer reveals signatures associated with PD‐L1 expression and tumor stage

“…Yet, in clinical settings, inter‐ and intra‐patient heterogeneity of different NSCLC lesions, with respect to ICI response is often seen and calls for longitudinal biomarker (BM) analytics [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. In this context, sampling of lesions by minimal invasive and atraumatic FNA has emerged as a promising alternative to CNB when combined with ultrasensitive and multiplex molecular profiling methods [ 18 ]. For early diagnostics of unknown lesions as well as inoperable tumors of the thorax, FNA should be further explored not only for diagnostics as such but also to retrieve BMs to guide therapy, for example, in the adjuvant setting.…”

“…Such methods need to be robust, minimally invasive yet informative and be based on sampling procedures which also capture inter‐ and intratumor heterogeneity. In this sense, FNA‐based tumor and tumor environment sampling combined with molecular profiling may be an opportunity [ 18 ]. However, it is a well‐recognized clinical challenge to utilize scarce FNA materials that may be obtained via computed tomography (CT)‐guided sampling for extensive molecular profiling in addition to the current diagnostic routines, for example, mutation analysis and routine immunostainings.…”

CIRSE Clinical Practice Manual

“…An obvious example is tumour boards with oncology patients; if an interventional radiologist has not attended a MDT meeting, the referral pattern tends to be for biopsies, drainages, etc., and patients are referred for surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. If the IR is physically present at the oncology MDT meeting, the referral pattern changes [ 64 , 65 ]. Patients are seen by interventional radiologists; a formal consultation takes place and, finally, these same patients are sent to IR not just for adjunctive measures, such as biopsy and drainage, but for the primary therapeutic procedures like tumour ablation, chemoembolisation, etc.…”

Cost effectiveness and the role of the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in interventional radiology

“…16 The increasing demand for rapid diagnosis, treatment, and palliation means interventional oncology is now regarded as a vital and highly cost-effective component of cancer care. 17 Rising cost of medical infrastructure and medical technology About half of the increased overall healthcare expenditure in high-income countries is due to increasing costs of medical technology, including equipment and drugs. 6,18e21 When analysed in more detail, costs have actually fallen in some conditions but increased disproportionately in conditions with high-technology interventions, including IR.…”

“… 16 The increasing demand for rapid diagnosis, treatment, and palliation means interventional oncology is now regarded as a vital and highly cost-effective component of cancer care. 17 …”