QUESTIONS TO ASK
BEFORE MICROWAVE ABLATION
Informed patients have better outcomes. Asking the right questions before your procedure helps you evaluate the centre's expertise, understand your specific risk profile, and ensure your expectations are realistic. A good interventional radiologist welcomes these questions โ a poor one deflects them.
analyticsAt a Glance
- check_circleAsk about annual procedure volume โ centres doing <50 MWA/year have higher complication rates
- check_circleAsk for their specific outcomes data for your tumour type and size โ not general statistics
- check_circleAsk what happens if ablation is incomplete โ have a plan for residual disease before you start
- check_circleAsk how they handle complications โ what protocols exist and who to call if problems develop
Why Asking Questions Matters
Microwave ablation is a specialist procedure โ outcomes depend heavily on operator experience, equipment quality, and the centre's protocols for planning, monitoring, and managing complications. Patients who ask informed questions are better able to evaluate whether they are in the right hands.
โThere is no such thing as a rude question before a cancer procedure. Asking about volume, outcomes, and complication rates is not challenging the doctor โ it is exactly what every patient should do.โ
What Good Answers Look Like
A confident, experienced interventional radiologist will answer questions about procedure volume, personal outcomes data, specific risks for your tumour, and complication protocols directly and without defensiveness. They will provide honest numbers rather than vague reassurances. They will acknowledge the limits of what ablation can achieve in your case.
Red Flags in Responses
Deflection, vague answers, failure to acknowledge risks, overselling of outcomes ("100% success rate"), reluctance to discuss volume, resistance to second opinion requests, or pressure to decide quickly are all concerning signs. Any centre that discourages informed questions is not a centre you should trust with a cancer procedure.
Questions About Centre Experience and Volume
The most important predictor of good MWA outcomes is operator and centre experience. These questions establish whether you are at the right place.
"How many MWA procedures do you perform each year โ specifically for my tumour type?"
For liver MWA: centres performing <50 procedures/year have meaningfully higher complication rates than those doing 100+. For lung MWA, thyroid MWA, and other indications, minimum volumes are lower but the principle holds. Ask for the number specific to your indication, not overall procedure volume.
"How long have you been performing MWA at this centre?"
New programmes โ even at otherwise excellent hospitals โ have learning curves. A centre that started MWA 6 months ago is not equivalent to one with 10 years of experience. Ask specifically when the programme started and how volumes have grown.
"Do you have a dedicated interventional oncology team, or does IR handle general interventional work?"
Centres with dedicated interventional oncology programmes โ where interventional radiologists focus primarily on cancer treatment rather than general IR work โ produce better oncology outcomes. Ask about programme structure.
"Can you share your published outcomes data for my tumour type and size?"
High-quality centres publish their results. Asking for published data is a reasonable request. If a centre cannot point to any published series or quality audits, that is a meaningful limitation. CancerFax can review published data for recommended centres before you travel.
Questions Specific to Your Case
These questions move from general centre quality to your individual tumour, risks, and expectations.
"Is my tumour in a location that makes ablation particularly challenging โ near a vessel, bile duct, or other structure?"
Tumour location is the single most important case-specific risk factor. Ask the interventional radiologist to describe specifically where the tumour is relative to major vessels, bile ducts, bowel, and other structures, and how that affects the technical approach and risk profile.
"Given my tumour size, are you confident you can achieve complete ablation with a single session?"
For tumours larger than 3 cm, ask directly whether single-antenna technique is planned, whether multi-antenna simultaneous technique will be used, or whether a staged approach (TACE first, then MWA) is recommended. The answer tells you about both technical planning and honesty.
"What are the specific risks for my tumour โ not general risks, but my tumour in my location?"
A thoughtful interventional radiologist will give you case-specific risk information โ not a generic consent form recitation. For a perivascular liver tumour, the specific risk is heat-sink-mediated incomplete ablation. For a subpleural lung tumour, it is pneumothorax. For a renal tumour near the ureter, it is ureteral injury. Specific answers indicate expertise.
"What is your plan if the ablation is incomplete or if I have a local recurrence?"
Having a plan for incomplete ablation before you start is essential. Ask: "If my 4-week scan shows residual tumour, what is the next step?" A good answer describes immediate repeat ablation, TACE+MWA combination consideration, or escalation to surgical referral. An absent or vague answer is a concern.
Practical Questions About the Procedure and Follow-Up
These questions ensure you know exactly what to expect before, during, and after the procedure.
Before the Procedure
"Which medications do I need to stop and when?" "Can I eat and drink on the day of the procedure?" "Will I have conscious sedation or general anaesthesia โ and why?" "How long will the procedure take?" "Who will be in the room during the procedure?" "Who should I contact if I have concerns before the day?"
After the Procedure
"Can I go home the same day or will I stay overnight?" "What symptoms should prompt me to call someone urgently?" "When can I drive, return to work, and resume normal activities?" "What medications will I need at home?" "When will I have my first follow-up scan and what will it show?" "How will you communicate the results?"
Questions Checklist โ Print and Bring
A printable reference checklist for your pre-procedure consultation. Tick off each as the answer is given.
| Question | Category | What a Good Answer Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| How many MWA procedures do you perform annually for my tumour type? | Volume | Specific number โฅ50/year for liver; less for thyroid/lung; honest acknowledgement if lower |
| How long has this MWA programme been running? | Experience | Years of experience stated; volume growth described |
| Is my tumour near any vessels, ducts, or structures that make this complex? | Technical | Specific location-based answer, not a generic response |
| What complete ablation rate do you achieve for tumours of my size and location? | Outcomes | Percentage quoted; honest about harder-to-ablate locations |
| What are the specific risks for my tumour in its location? | Risk | Location-specific risks named, not generic consent form language |
| If the ablation is incomplete, what is the next step? | Contingency | Clear plan: repeat MWA, TACE+MWA, or surgery referral |
| What follow-up imaging will I have and when? | Follow-up | Specific: 4โ6 weeks, then every 3 months, etc. |
| Who do I call if I have symptoms after the procedure? | Safety | Named contact number or clear emergency protocol |
| Is there a scenario where you would recommend surgery or another treatment instead? | Honesty | Honest answer that acknowledges alternatives |
| Have you seen cases like mine before and what was the outcome? | Experience | Specific examples (de-identified); honest assessment |
Related Treatments & Resources
Explore the full microwave ablation knowledge base.
- What to Expect During and After Microwave Ablation
- Complications of Microwave Ablation: Risk and Management
- Microwave Ablation vs Surgery: When Ablation Is the Right Choice
- Accessing MWA Through CancerFax: Patient Navigation Guide
- China MWA Innovation: Advanced Antenna Systems and Outcomes
- Microwave Ablation โ Full Treatment Page
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about preparing for an MWA consultation.
About Getting a Second Opinion
Should I get a second opinion before MWA?
Yes โ particularly if the tumour is large, in a complex location, or if you have concerns about your first opinion. Second opinions are standard practice in oncology and a quality centre will support rather than discourage them. An interventional radiology second opinion is particularly valuable if your initial recommendation came from a surgeon who may be less familiar with the scope of current ablation capability.
How can CancerFax provide a second opinion?
CancerFax reviews your imaging and medical records and provides a written assessment of whether MWA is appropriate and whether the proposed approach matches current best practice. This is not a formal radiological report โ it is a clinical navigation assessment. For cases where we identify concerns about the proposed treatment plan, we connect you with appropriate specialist review.
Communication and Preparation
What if I forget to ask something during the consultation?
Write your questions down before the appointment โ the checklist in this page is designed for exactly this purpose. If you forget something, contact the interventional radiology team afterwards by phone or email โ most questions can be answered without an additional visit. Never leave a consultation with unanswered questions that matter to your decision.
What if I am not satisfied with the answers I receive?
Unsatisfying answers โ vague, dismissive, overconfident, or lacking specific numbers โ are a legitimate reason to seek a second opinion or change centre. You are not obligated to proceed with a procedure because you have had an initial consultation. The consultation is an information-gathering exercise, not a commitment. CancerFax can arrange alternative centre review if you are not confident in the initial assessment.
How CancerFax Helps
CancerFax is a specialist cancer access and patient-navigation platform. We help patients and families understand their options, organise medical records, coordinate hospital communication, and support cross-border treatment planning where appropriate.
We help collect and organise reports, scans, pathology, biomarker results, and treatment history for structured case review.
We communicate with hospitals or trial teams to assess whether a case may be suitable for further screening.
We support appointment coordination, document submission, translation, and direct communication with international departments.
For international patients, we help with practical coordination โ travel planning, hospital admission guidance, and local support.
If this option is not suitable, we help explore other relevant treatments, clinical trials, or advanced care pathways.
From inquiry through to follow-up, our coordinators provide a single point of contact for the family.
CancerFax does not guarantee treatment access, eligibility, or clinical outcome. Our role is to help patients access accurate information, structured review, and appropriate specialist pathways.
Have Questions About Your Specific Case?
Upload your medical records and our clinical team will provide a written assessment of your options โ including whether MWA is appropriate, what the procedure would involve for your tumour, and what realistic outcomes to expect. We welcome the hard questions.
For informational purposes only. Medical decisions must be made with qualified oncology and interventional radiology specialists familiar with your full clinical history.