title: Inoperable symptomatic recurrent thyroid cancers: preliminary result of radiofrequency ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with inoperable symptomatic recurrent thyroid cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven patients with 16 symptomatic recurrent thyroid cancers but ineligible for surgery were prospectively enrolled and underwent ultrasound-guided RFA with local anesthesia in 16 sessions. The mean tumor volume and diameter were 9 ml (range 0.1-34 ml) and 2.9 cm (range 0.7-4.8 cm), respectively. Patients had dysphagia, hoarseness, dyspnea, or a protruding mass due to recurrent tumors. Tumor volume was calculated from follow-up ultrasound, and symptoms were assessed after RFA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 16 sessions, tumor ablation was complete in 6, incomplete in 9, and failed in 1. Incomplete or failed ablation was due to intolerable pain, severe calcified lesion, or tumor encasement of major vessels. Of 15 treated lesions, 13 decreased in volume. Regrowth of treated tumors was observed in 2 lesions. The mean volume reduction was 50.9% (range -9.4 to 96.8%). There were gains for symptom relief for 7 patients (63.6%) with protruding masses (n = 6) and discomfort due to tracheal compression (n = 1). The mean follow-up was 6 months (1-14 months). There were no major complications except a patient with skin burn.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RFA is feasible and safe, and can improve symptoms in the short term.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ko Woon
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jung Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Boo-Kyung
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome