Tumor tissue destruction by thermal injury

Tumor tissue destruction by thermal injury is a therapeutic approach involving the application of extreme heat (hyperthermia) or cold (cryotherapy) to destroy cancerous tissue. Common technologies include radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, laser-induced thermotherapy, and high-intensity focused ultrasound. The mechanism is predominantly acute coagulative necrosis of tumor cells, with secondary effects including microvascular thrombosis, ischemia, and immune modulation. Destruction efficacy is challenged by the tumor microenvironment, heat dissipation due to nearby large blood vessels ("heat sink" effect), and the risk of collateral damage to surrounding healthy tissues. While highly effective for selected patients and tumors, this is a modality or process—not a molecular target or receptor—and is not a canonical drug target such as a receptor, enzyme, or transporter[1][3][4][5][6].

Other names

Thermal tumor ablationthermal ablationthermal injuryfocal hyperthermiahyperthermic tumor destructionheat ablation