Microwave ablation, explained for patients and families | CION Cancer Clinics

Microwave ablation destroys a tumour by heating it with microwaves sent through a thin needle, called an antenna, placed inside it. The dead tissue stays where it is and slowly turns to scar, so nothing is cut out.

How microwaves make heat

Microwaves make the water inside cells move very fast. That movement creates heat, much as a kitchen microwave warms food from within. Because the heat is made across a zone rather than only at the tip, the tissue gets hot quickly and fairly evenly.

Why doctors sometimes choose it

Flowing blood in a nearby vessel carries heat away. Microwaves are less affected by this cooling than radiofrequency current, so a tumour close to a vessel may be treated more completely. The heating is also faster, which can shorten the procedure. Several antennas can be used together to cover a slightly larger area.

What it shares with other ablation

It is still a local treatment for small tumours. It is guided by CT or ultrasound through a small nick in the skin. And it still needs regular scans afterwards to check the whole tumour was covered.

Who carries it out

Usually an interventional radiologist, a doctor who treats disease through needles and scans. Sometimes a surgeon does it during an open or keyhole operation, for example when other tumours are being removed at the same time. Asking who will place the antenna is a fair question.

It does not suit large tumours, many tumours, or cancer that has spread widely. A tumour pressed against the bowel, the gallbladder or a main bile duct may be too close for heat to be used safely.

Health reasons it may be ruled out

Blood that does not clot well can make needle treatment unsafe until it is corrected. A liver that is failing badly may not cope. Someone who cannot lie still or take sedation may need a different approach.

What this page cannot tell you

It cannot say whether microwave ablation is right for you, or how you will do afterwards. Nor can it say whether a particular centre has the machine or the experience. Ask them directly. Your treating team reads your scans and biopsy, and weighs your health, before advising.

Questions worth asking

Why microwave rather than radiofrequency ablation or surgery? Is a biopsy needed first? Which symptoms at home mean you should come back? When is the first check scan, and what happens if tumour is left at the edge? Bring a family member to write the answers down.