Halton Healthcare now providing ‘game-changer’ kidney cancer treatment

NEWS RELEASE

HALTON HEALTHCARE

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In recognition of National Kidney Health Month, Halton Healthcare is proud to be the first regional hospital to offer renal (kidney) cryoablation, a minimally invasive procedure that targets kidney tumours with precision while minimizing recovery time.

Cryoablation uses extreme cold to destroy cancerous kidney tissue while preserving the surrounding healthy tissue. Performed in the Interventional Radiology Suite using image guidance, the procedure is a non-surgical option that offers similar outcomes to surgery but with a faster recovery time and fewer risks.

This treatment, that is typically only offered in Toronto or London, is available to Halton Healthcare patients thanks to $40,000 in funding provided to the hospital by a group of young professionals, The Innovators, through the Oakville Hospital Foundation.

“This procedure is a game-changer,” said Ronald Wessels, one of the first patients to receive this innovative treatment at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. “The cryoablation was incredibly effective, and I had virtually no pain afterward. After previous surgeries I had weeks of recovery, and this felt like nothing. I had a band-aid, no pain meds, and I was back on my feet almost immediately. The recovery was incredibly quick and smooth.”

Cryoablation helps preserve kidney function by targeting just the tumour, without removing large portions of the kidney, explained Dr. Samuel Xu, Radiologist at Halton Healthcare.

“Studies have shown that after cryoablation, the rate of kidney disease progression is much lower compared to surgery. For example, while up to 30 per cent of patients who undergo partial nephrectomy develop stage three kidney disease within three years, only about five to six per cent of patients who undergo cryoablation experience the same.”

Cryoablation has shown effectiveness in treating tumours up to four centimetres in size, but once they exceed that, surgery tends to offer better technical success. It’s important to note that cryoablation isn’t the be-all-end-all solution — patient selection is key. Cryoablation can still be effective within the four-centimetre threshold but may require more than one treatment session and every patient’s situation should be evaluated individually.

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