The treatment of cancer is evolving. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have served as the three pillars of cancer care for several decades, and each has made significant progress in the treatment of cancer. As technology has advanced, the ability of interventional radiologists to target tumors throughout the body with image-guided therapy has led to a significant evolution in cancer care.

Uterine fibroids are common benign tumors of the uterus that can result in a number of symptoms that can significantly affect quality of life. These include heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, frequent urination, abdominal distension, and pain during intercourse. Many patients in whom the symptoms cannot be treated medically ultimately end up having a hysterectomy for relief. Today, the uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) procedure is a commonly performed option for women facing the need for treatment.

Patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis for treatment rely on various forms of vascular access so that they can receive their care. The vascular access required by CKD patients include catheters, arteriovenous dialysis grafts, and arteriovenous dialysis fistulas. IR works in close collaboration with the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at Albany Medical Center to place and maintain catheters and to preserve the functionality of grafts and fistulas used for dialysis.

Peripheral Arterial Disease is an often debilitating disease that can impair the walking ability in patients with this diagnosis. Patients with atherosclerotic disease (often in those who smoke or have underlying diabetes mellitus, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, and heart disease) can have reduced blood flow to their legs. As a result,they can develop pain while walking because the body cannot deliver the blood required by the muscles of the leg. In time, this can potentially lead to pain while at rest or even gangrene if it goes untreated.

Several conditions can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, which can affect the function of the liver. If portal hypertension is present, patients can experience GI bleeding due to esophageal, gastric, or rectal varices. In addition, they can develop ascites, or fluid in the abdomen, which can cause significant distension and discomfort. IR plays an important role in the care of these patients by performing biopsies to diagnose liver disease, draining ascites to improve patient comfort, and performing TIPS procedures to reduce portal venous pressures.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition affecting middle and older age males. As the prostate enlarges during a man’s life, it can compress the urethra and cause lower urinary tract symptoms including increased urinary frequency, difficulty starting urination, weak or interrupted stream, as well as urinary retention. Prostate artery embolization (PAE) is a minimally invasive endovascular procedure, which has been shown to be a safe and effective means of decreasing symptoms related to BPH.