BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency Tumor Ablation (RFA) is a minimally-invasive procedure used to treat small liver, lung, kidney and bone tumors. During RFA, an interventional radiologist carefully guides an ablation needle into the center of the tumor using ultrasound or CT guidance. The probe is connected to a radiofrequency generator that delivers alternating electrical current (radiofrequency energy) to the tumor, producing heat of up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This causes cancerous cells to shrink and die, while healthy tissue is spared because the probe cools as it is removed. "The energy that's delivered to the tumor is right at the needle tip," says Peter Julien, M.D., Chief of Thoracic Imaging at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif. "It's very intense energy that can heat up the tumor over 150 degrees. It can heat up the tumor basically to boiling."
The procedure requires only local anesthesia and avoids the scars and complications associated with traditional open surgery. Because RFA involves no cutting, it is also a viable option for patients previously thought to be too old or sick to withstand surgery.
RFA For Kidney Cancer: In adults, the most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell carcinoma, which begins in the cells that line the small tubes within the kidney. According to the Kidney Cancer Association, renal cell carcinoma affects more than 32,000 people per year, and the exact cause of the disease is unknown. It is most common in people between 50 and 70 years old, affecting men more often than women.
Typically, surgical removal of kidney tumors has been the standard of care for kidney cancers. The surgery usually results in hospital stays of seven to 10 days and postoperative recovery time of six to eight weeks. By comparison, results from RFA were equivalent to surgery, with typically no hospital stay. There's also no incision and minimal or no damage to surrounding tissue, and RFA allows for the kidney to be preserved. RFA also avoids postoperative complications such as pain, pneumonia, injury to organs and scars.
Doctors say the procedure is still new and more data are needed; however, survival rates from RFA are comparable to those of radical or partial nephrectomies. Surgeons say it may offer hope for patients with liver cancer as well.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Nilou Salimpour
Media Relations
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
(310) 292-6536
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