title: Combined radiofrequency-surgical debulking of advanced abdomino-pelvic tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Advanced abdomino-pelvic tumors are often unresectable using surgery alone. The current study evaluated a combination of radiofrequency (RF) ablation (RFA) and surgical debulking for such lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July 2003 and November 2004, we treated 16 patients. Fourteen had either pelvic side wall (n = 8), sacro-iliac joint (n = 4), or vertebral (n = 2) fixation. One tumor engulfed root of mesentery, the last involved stomach-liver-vena. All patients had received prior treatment. The RF probe was placed in the center of the tumor, a 4- to 6-cm tissue core ablated, and the core curetted out or aspirated. This was repeated centrifugally out to the tumor capsule.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Control of the target lesion for more than 6 months was achieved in 10 (62%) patients; 2 died within 3 months, and 4 had tumor progression in less than 6 months. Median survival is 18+ months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined RFA-surgical debulking was feasible and beneficial in 62%% of patients with otherwise inoperable abdomino-pelvic tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO, USA. Nathan.Pearlman@uchsc.edu <Nathan.Pearlman@uchsc.edu>
authors.forename: Nathan W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Pearlman
authors.forename: Martin D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: McCarter
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Escober
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: MacDermott
mesh_terms: D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D016019:Survival Analysis