RF Ablation Shows Promise for Kidney Cancer

A clinical trial has demonstrated that radiofrequency (RF) ablation, guided with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can kill kidney tumors in a procedure that is safer and easier for patients than surgery and is an alternative for patients who are not candidates for surgery.

The trial, involving 11 patients with kidney cancer, was led by investigators at The Research Institute at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University (both in Cleveland, OH, USA). In 10 of 11 patients (91%), the tumor was completely ablated, and there were no recurrences in nine of the 11 patients (82%). The average follow-up period was 14 months. All 11 patients had tumors that measured 4 centimeters or less and either were not candidates for surgery or had refused surgery.

In the outpatient procedure, the patient is lightly sedated while the RF energy is fed to the tumor through a very small needle with an electrode on the tip. The needle pierces the skin and is inserted directly into the tumor under MRI guidance. After 10-30 minutes, the RF energy burns a one-to-three inch diameter sphere, killing the tumor cells. A large area of the tumor can be killed by treating overlapping spheres. The dead cells are not removed but become scar tissue and eventually shrink. The patient may go home hours later, usually feeling little pain.

"Although the protocol in general has been only to treat patients who aren't good surgical candidates, there has been increasing interest in using it as a primary treatment because surgical removal of part of the kidney is such a major procedure,” said Jonathan S. Lewin, M.D., professor of radiology, oncology, and neurologic surgery at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve.




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