title: Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of lung tumours: results in the mid-term.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of lung tumours has recently received much attention for the promising results achieved. Herein, we report the 5 years experience of a single referral centre in Europe, with particular reference to the mid-term results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between October 2001 and June 2005, we performed 88 RFAs of lung tumours, 9 of which were followed by surgical resection. The remaining 79 RFAs, the object of this paper, were performed to treat 64 lesions in 54 patients: 39 males and 15 females with a mean age of 71.7 years (range of 51-89). All patients had clinical or pathological evidence of the neoplastic lesion, which was non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in 40 cases and a metastasis in 24 cases. The mean size of the lesions was 2.4 cm (range of 1-5). Ten lesions were re-treated from one to as many as four times. The procedure was always performed under local anaesthesia and conscious sedation. A generator of RF with max power output of 200W was utilised together with a needle with nine deployable electrodes, to achieve a target temperature of 90 degrees C that was maintained for 15-27 min according to the size of the lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all cases, except two, the procedure was technically successful. Morbidity consisted in 10 cases (12.7%) of partial pneumothorax, 1 haematoma of the chest wall and 1 pleural effusion. At a mean follow-up of 23.7 months (range of 6-50) we recorded a 61.9% of complete responses, with a higher rate in the metastatic lesions (70.8%) and in those smaller than 3 cm (69.7%). Mean (median) overall survival and local progression-free interval were 17.3 (28.9) months and 12.9 (24.1) months, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efficacy of RFA in the mid-term seems to settle at a promising level, with better results for metastatic lesions and, above all, for lesions smaller than 3 cm. Notwithstanding these encouraging results, RFA remains an alternative local therapy only when surgery cannot be performed, especially in NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac and Thoracic Department, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy. m.ambrogi@med.unipi.it
authors.forename: Marcello Carlo
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ambrogi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucchi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dini
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Melfi
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fontanini
authors.forename: Pinuccia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Faviana
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fanucchi
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mussi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity