Radiofrequency Ablation Can Destroy Lung Tumors

On regular follow-up, no relapse was detected in 94% of the patients. The study was published in the August 2004 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

According to Cosmo Gadaleta, M.D., from the IRCCS Hospital of Oncology (Bari, Italy), a lead author of the study, most lung tumors are inoperable because of coexisting health problems or poor respiratory function in the patient. A number of these kinds of inoperable tumors have been treated using radiotherapy, which can cause serious toxicity in a patient, and chemotherapy, which is not tolerable by all patients.

"Lung RFA can get around all those problems. It is minimally invasive, with only a small needle being inserted into the patient. It is also advantageous because of potentially low costs, short hospitalization times, and good patient tolerance without mortality, stated Dr. Gadaleta.

Complications caused by lung RFA were minor and included pneumothorax. Pneumothorax occurred in a small percentage of cases, and each occurrence was treated successfully with pleural drainage, according to Dr. Gadaleta. "The risk is small when compared to the benefits of lung RFA, and since the radiology team anticipates the possibility of pneumothorax developing as a result of the procedure, they carefully monitor the patient so they can quickly treat any complications.”

Dr. Gadaleta also stated that lung RFA is a promising technique for treating patients with certain operable lung tumors. "We feel that lung RFA could become more prevalent, first for patients who are not candidates for surgery, but also as an alternative to surgery for operable primary lung tumors, as long as the tumor is not too large.”