Patent ID: 8476242

Claim:
A method of treating cancer comprising: inserting into a cancerous tissue a distal end portion of a catheter defining a lumen, the catheter comprising a distal tip adapted to penetrate tissue, at least one catheter port located at the distal tip, and a plurality of probes disposed within the lumen, each of the plurality of probes comprising a distal tip adapted to penetrate tissue; extending at least two of the plurality of probes such that a portion of each of the at least two probes is disposed outside the lumen extending into the cancerous tissue, at least one of the at least two probes is individually extended into the cancerous tissue; delivering a liposome containing an active agent or a thermo-activated drug, gene or virus to the cancerous tissue via the catheter port; and individually energizing at least one of the at least two probes extended into the cancerous tissue such that the at least two probes: introduce heat to an outer zone of tissue, the outer zone of tissue including a margin of the cancerous tissue, the heat introduced to the outer zone of tissue sufficient to release the active agent or activate the thermo-activated drug, gene or virus, the heat introduced to the outer zone of tissue causing a temperature of the outer zone of tissue to be no greater than about 45° C.; and introduce heat to an inner zone of tissue, the inner zone of tissue disposed between the outer zone of tissue and the plurality of probes, the inner zone of tissue being comprised of the cancerous tissue, the heat introduced to the inner zone of tissue sufficient to thermally ablate at least a portion of the cancerous tissue of the inner zone of tissue, the heat introduced to the inner zone of tissue causing a temperature of the cancerous tissue of the inner zone of tissue to be at least about 50° C.