title: Radiofrequency ablation treatment for renal cell carcinoma: early clinical experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the early clinical experience associated with radiofrequency (RF) ablation in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  The RF ablation treatment was performed on 17 tumors from 16 patients (mean age, 60.5 years; range, 43-73 years) with RCC. The treatment indications were localized, solid renal mass, comorbidities, high operation risk, and refusal to perform surgery. All tumors were treated by a percutaneous CT (n = 10), followed by an US-guided (n = 2), laparoscopy-assisted US (n = 2), and an open (n = 2) RF ablation. Furthermore, patients underwent a follow-up CT at one day, one week, one month, three and six months, and then every six months from the onset of treatment. We evaluated the technical success, technical effectiveness, ablation zone, benign periablation enhancement, irregular peripheral enhancement, and complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 17 exophytic tumors (mean size, 2.2 cm; range, 1.1-5.0 cm) were completely ablated. Technical success and effectiveness was achieved in all cases and the mean follow-up period was 23.8 months (range, 17-33 months). A local recurrence was not detected in any of the cases; however, five patients developed complications as a result of treatment, including hematuria (n = 2), mild thermal injury of the psoas muscle (n = 1), mild hydronephrosis (n = 1), and fistula formation (n = 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The RF ablation is an alternative treatment for exophytic RCCs and represents a promising treatment for some patients with small RCCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seong Kuk
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Jin Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jong Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Kyung Jin
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Hee-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Su-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myong Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Sunseob
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Gyung Tak
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Sung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed