title: Management of advanced abdominopelvic tumors with combined radiofrequency ablation and surgical debulking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Advanced abdominopelvic tumors due to rectal cancer, gynecological cancer or sarcomas are often unresectable using surgery alone. This study presents the combination of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and surgical debulking for such tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 2005 and June 2007 we treated 4 patients with tumor fixation to the pelvic side wall and to the sacroiliac joint. Two of these patients had recurrent gynecological cancer while the other 2 had rectal cancer. All 4 of them had received prior treatment. The radiofrequency probe was placed in the center of the tumor. A 5- to 8-cm tissue core was ablated and aspirated or curetted out. This was repeated centrifugally out to the tumor capsule.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Control of the tumor for more than 12 months was achieved in 3 patients. One patient died 14 months after the procedure due to tumor progression. Two patients are still alive 12 and 14 months after the operation without symptoms. The other patient is alive 6 months after the operation in a disease-free condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined RFA and surgical debulking is beneficial as an alternative palliative method in patients with inoperable abdominopelvic tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, General Hospital of Mesologgi, Mesologgi, Greece. jspil@in.gr
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spiliotis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hadjicostas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rogdakis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaxevanidou
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malakounides
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Datsis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsiveriotis
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Karkavitsa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kekelos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*