Advanced cancer treatment helps active grandfather get back to family and life
On December 15, 2004, Ted Pohlig underwent surgery for kidney cancer. The next day, the 62-year-old grandfather was home with his family.
"I could hardly believe it," Pohlig remembers. "I received about 50 get-well cards over the next few weeks, and I didn't even feel like I needed them." In just two weeks, he was back to work. Pohlig, a retired accountant who now works part-time as a security guard, owes his quick recovery to cryoablation, a minimally invasive procedure now being used to treat kidney cancer.
Advanced cancer treatment
Cryoablation is a surgical technique that uses argon gas to deep freeze and destroy abnormal tissue. The procedure can be performed laparoscopically or by other minimally invasive techniques.
"We use a needle-like instrument called a cryoprobe to deliver highly pressurized gas directly to the tumor, freezing it until it's solid ice," explains
Louis Keeler, III, MD, Fox Chase Virtua Health (FCVH) urologist. "The tumor is frozen to temperatures of 40 below zero, causing instantaneous cell death." Once thawed, the frozen tissue is naturally absorbed by the body.
During surgery, urologists use intraoperative ultrasound technology that allows ultrasound equipment to be placed through a probe inside the body and directly onto the kidney. This gives the urologist a real-time view of the depth, size and position of the tumors. With image-guided precision, the urologist can ensure that the entire tumor is frozen while avoiding damage to healthy cells. Virtua is one of the few health systems in South Jersey to offer this technology.
Who should consider cryoablation?
"Mr. Pohlig was an excellent candidate for cryoablation," says Dr. Keeler, who serves as medical director of oncology services for the
FCVH Cancer Program at Virtua West Jersey Hospitals. "The tumor in his left kidney was 2.5 centimeters in size, about the size of a large marble. There's a smaller lesion on his right kidney that we plan to treat as well."
Cryoablation is effective on small tumors less than four centimeters, about the size of a golf ball. The procedure is recommended for patients who have cancer in both kidneys or have only one functioning kidney. This helps avoid the need for complete kidney removal or dialysis. And, because cryoablation is minimally invasive, it puts less stress on the body than traditional surgery. This is important for people with medical complications like Pohlig, who had multiple operations throughout his life including quadruple bypass surgery.
"As technology has advanced, cryoablation has become an important part of our expanding arsenal for treating kidney cancer," says Dr. Keeler.
Researchers are also investigating several potential treatments for kidney cancer. Through FCVH, patients have access to a broad range of national
clinical trials as well as those conducted by Fox Chase Cancer Center. For more information, call
1-888-Virtua-3.
The future of cryoablation
Patients treated with cryoablation are carefully monitored to ensure there is no recurrence of the tumor. Pohlig will be monitored through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) every four to six months for the next two years.
"Cryoablation is one of the latest FDA-approved treatments for kidney cancer, and we continue to study its long-term effectiveness," explains Dr. Keeler. "So far, results have been very encouraging."
Cryoablation is currently used to treat some skin, prostate, liver and bone tumors, as well as a precancerous condition of the cervix. It also is being studied for its potential in treating breast and colorectal cancers.
Getting back to life
Pohlig, a former men's league baseball pitcher, continues to volunteer at his church, take family vacations, and teach his 11-year-old grandson how to throw a great curve ball. "I feel blessed that I've been able to recover so quickly, and I have a strong faith that I will continue to beat this disease," he concludes.
Meet the physician
Louis L. Keeler, III, MD, earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. He completed a residency in general surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital and served as chief resident in urology at New England Medical Center in Boston. Dr. Keeler also completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY. He is a diplomat to the American Board of Urology and has published numerous articles, including an article on kidney cancer in the
Journal of Urology.