Radiofrequency Ablation Effective for Small Renal Tumors

NEW YORK JUN 24, 2005 (Reuters Health) - Temperature-based radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a reasonable nephron-sparing approach for treating select patients with small renal tumors, according to a report by US researchers.

RFA causes less morbidity than open or laparoscopic resection of renal tumors and a greater likelihood of technical mastery, but its efficacy has not been formally evaluated, the authors explain in the May issue of Urology.

Dr. Jeffrey A. Cadeddu from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, and colleagues reviewed their short-term experience with laparoscopic and percutaneous RF ablation of renal tumors treated with a temperature-based RF generator.

The study included 91 patients with a total of 109 tumors treated since May 2001. Initial ablation succeeded in 107 tumors (98%), ranging in size from 0.8 to 4.7 cm, the authors report. Thirty-six of 60 patients with at least 1 year of follow-up had a biopsy diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma, and only 1 had a local recurrence detected during a mean follow-up of 19.4 months, the report indicates.

No patient has had signs of metastatic disease progression and none of the patients had evidence of disease at last follow-up. "Three patients died of causes unrelated to renal cancer," the investigators report.

"RF ablation for small tumors appears to be efficacious at a maximal follow-up of almost 3 years," the authors conclude.

"Our early RF ablation results for small renal cell carcinoma are comparable to the expected partial nephrectomy outcomes."

"Longer follow-up is necessary before widespread application," the investigators add.

SOURCE:

• Urology 2005;65:877-881.