Radiofrequency ablation for lung cancer

Primary lung cancer is a worldwide problem, but many patients are non-surgical candidates due to comorbidities. Percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a newly developed therapeutic option for unresectable lung cancer. Several authors have reported preliminary and midterm results of this therapy, including its usefulness and minimal invasiveness. However, its technique is not well established. RF ablation for lung cancer has been performed at Okayama University since June 2001 after we obtained approval from our institutional review board. A total of 312 patients with 853 tumors have been treated as of the end of April 2007. Primary and secondary technique effectiveness rate at 3 years is 58% and 66%, respectively. Survival after this therapy seems promising, especially for those patients with unresectable stage-I non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with intrapulmonary recurrence after resection of primary NSCLC, and with pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer. In this paper, we describe the indications, ablation planning, techniques, results, complications, and prospects for the future of this therapy, based on our 6-year experience.