RF Ablation Reduces Bone Cancer Pain

An international clinical study has shown that radio-frequency (RF) ablation can significantly reduce pain and enhance quality of life for patients whose cancer has spread to the bone. The study was presented at the 2002 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Orlando, FL (USA).

RF ablation has been used for several years to treat liver and kidney cancer. In the new study, researchers at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, USA) found that RF ablation can be equally effective in killing cancer cells that cause pain in the bone. In addition to the Mayo Clinic, the study included nine other medical centers in the United States, Italy, Germany and France..

The study showed that 95% of the 43 patients with incurable cancer who were treated with the RF ablation procedure experienced significant pain relief and had improved quality of life. All of the study participants had previously received other standard treatments for pain but achieved minimal relief. Before RF ablation treatment, the pain these patients experienced averaged 7.5 on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the worst level of unbearable pain. The pain was reduced an average of 50 % eight weeks after the procedure and to an average score of one at 24 weeks following the procedure. Researchers continue to follow-up patients and have found that many of the surviving patients continue to have reduced pain one year after the initial RF ablation procedure.

The RF ablation procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes to perform. The patient is given a light general anesthetic, and a thin needle is inserted through the skin and guided by computed tomography or ultrasound imaging to the target area. An intense heat is transmitted through the tip of the needle, killing the nerve endings and much of the cancer tissue, thereby alleviating the pain.

The RF ablation system used in the study was developed by Rita Medical Systems, Inc. (Mountain View, CA, USA). The system has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of pain in cancer patients. Rita Medical provided partial funding for the research.




Related Links:
Rita Medical
Mayo Clinic