Focusing On Patients

Cautery tool uses radio wave electricity to kill liver, kidney tumors
(continued)

"It works best in the case of small, localized tumors where patients cannot undergo surgery," says McGahan. "This woman had a lot of pre-existing health problems and she had only one kidney to begin with, so surgery was a high risk."

Clara Everett of Klamath Falls, Ore., traveled 300 miles to have her cancer treated at the UC Davis Medical Center.

The 68-year-old suffers from a long list of illnesses: chronic respiratory problems, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and hepatitis C, among others. Her right kidney was removed 30 years ago.

Her family physician came across her cancer when she underwent a CT scan of her lungs for a different problem. Tests revealed a shadow on her remaining kidney that was diag- nosed as renal cell carcinoma. Her physician recommended she go to an expert to have the tumor removed; Everett chose UC Davis Medical Center.

"I was lucky they caught it so early," says Everett. "Dr. McGahan explained everything so well to myself and my family that we lost a lot of our fear about the procedure. He even let my middle daughter come into the room to watch."