BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive technique and well established in the treatment of malignant hepatic tumours. This method could also find application in patients with malignant lung tumours who, for functional reasons, have to be excluded from standard surgery. Until now, however, very little data have been available on the application of RFA in malignant pulmonary tumours. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From November 2001 to January 2004, eleven malignant lesions of the lung were treated with RFA. The indication for RFA resulted from an inadequate pulmonary reserve and additional severe risk factors. RESULTS: Eleven lesions were treated in ten patients with RFA. The malignancies were primary non-small cell bronchial carcinomas (n=9) as well as metastases of non-small cell carcinomas (n=2). Early complications of RFA were pneumothorax, hemorrhagic intrapleural effusion, bronchopleural fistula and pericarditis. Two weeks after RFA, pneumonia appeared as a late complication. No patient's death was related to the RFA procedure. After a mean follow-up of 8.5 months five patients died. Five patients are still alive, two of whom exhibit no tumour recurrence. CONCLUSION: RFA in patients with lung tumours is possible from a technical viewpoint. It is possibly a therapeutic alternative for patients with localized tumours that are inoperable. However, in this series, the morbidity of the procedure -- taking the degree of invasiveness into account -- is high, and the oncological results are unsatisfactory, possibly due to a small cohort of patients.
BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive technique and well established in the treatment of malignant hepatic tumours. This method could also find application in patients with malignant lung tumours who, for functional reasons, have to be excluded from standard surgery. Until now, however, very little data have been available on the application of RFA in malignant pulmonary tumours. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From November 2001 to January 2004, eleven malignant lesions of the lung were treated with RFA. The indication for RFA resulted from an inadequate pulmonary reserve and additional severe risk factors. RESULTS: Eleven lesions were treated in ten patients with RFA. The malignancies were primary non-small cell bronchial carcinomas (n=9) as well as metastases of non-small cell carcinomas (n=2). Early complications of RFA were pneumothorax, hemorrhagic intrapleural effusion, bronchopleural fistula and pericarditis. Two weeks after RFA, pneumonia appeared as a late complication. No patient's death was related to the RFA procedure. After a mean follow-up of 8.5 months five patients died. Five patients are still alive, two of whom exhibit no tumour recurrence. CONCLUSION: RFA in patients with lung tumours is possible from a technical viewpoint. It is possibly a therapeutic alternative for patients with localized tumours that are inoperable. However, in this series, the morbidity of the procedure -- taking the degree of invasiveness into account -- is high, and the oncological results are unsatisfactory, possibly due to a small cohort of patients.
Authors: S N Goldberg; P F Hahn; K K Tanabe; P R Mueller; W Schima; C A Athanasoulis; C C Compton; L Solbiati; G S Gazelle Journal: J Vasc Interv Radiol Date: 1998 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 3.464
Authors: Holger Hof; Klaus K Herfarth; Marc Münter; Angelika Hoess; Johann Motsch; Michael Wannenmacher; Jürgen Debus J Journal: Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys Date: 2003-06-01 Impact factor: 7.038
Authors: Luis J Herrera; Hiran C Fernando; Yaron Perry; William E Gooding; Percival O Buenaventura; Neil A Christie; James D Luketich Journal: J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Date: 2003-04 Impact factor: 5.209
Authors: Steven A Curley; Paolo Marra; Karen Beaty; Lee M Ellis; J Nicolas Vauthey; Eddie K Abdalla; Courtney Scaife; Chan Raut; Robert Wolff; Haesun Choi; Evelyne Loyer; Paolo Vallone; Francesco Fiore; Fabrizio Scordino; Vincenzo De Rosa; Raffaele Orlando; Sandro Pignata; Bruno Daniele; Francesco Izzo Journal: Ann Surg Date: 2004-04 Impact factor: 12.969