Specialized Programs – Cancer Treatments

Radio Frequency Ablation

Mills-Peninsula provides radiation treatment for more people than any other facility in San Mateo County.

Radiofrequency has been used in medical procedures for decades using heat to target the death of unwanted tissue.

During a radiofrequency procedure, an ablation probe is placed directly into the target tissue. A generator is turned on and temperatures set, energy flows through the probes causing friction in the nearby tissue. Once the target temperature has been reached the target tissue will be destroyed in a few minutes.

Sensors on the probes are used to monitor the tissue temperatures and an Ultrasound to monitor the entire treatment process.

Heat is a very effective and safe means of killing tissue.
Tissue above 113° F begins to get permanently damaged and cell membranes fuse.

Radio frequency ablation depends on the power applied and the resistance of the tissues. The size of the ablated area is determined largely by the size of the probe, the temperature of the tissue, and the duration of time the energy is applied. There is a sharp boundary between dead tissue and unaffected surrounding tissue. Thus unwanted tissue can be ablated without much sacrifice of surrounding normal tissue.


A dedicated CT scanner and 3-D imaging are used to target specific tumors, minimizing the exposure of healthy tissue. This technology allows two linear accelerators to conform the beam of radiation to the cancer site.

Computed Tomography scan. It is also known as a CAT (Computer Axial Tomography - combines a series of X-ray views taken from many different angles on a single axis and computer processing to create cross-sectional images of the bones and soft tissues inside your body

The scans are then combined using computer software to form a 3-D cross-sectional picture of the part of the body and displays it on the computer screen.


For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 650-696-4487.