title: Palliative treatment of rectal carcinoma recurrence using radiofrequency ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and efficacy of CT-guided radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the palliative treatment of recurrent unresectable rectal tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer were treated with computed tomography (CT)-guided RF ablation. Therapy was performed with the patient under conscious sedation with a seven- or a nine-array expandable RF electrode for 8-10 min at 80-110°C and a power of 90-110 W. All patients went home under instructions the next day of the procedure. Brief Pain Inventory score was calculated before and after (1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months) treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete tumor necrosis rate was 77.8% (21 of a total 27 procedures) despite lesion location. BPI score was dramatically decreased after the procedure. The mean preprocedure BPI score was 6.59, which decreased to 3.15, 1.15, and 0.11 at postprocedure day 1, week 1, and month 1, respectively, after the procedure. This decrease was significant (p < 0.01 for the first day and p < 0.001 for the rest of the follow-up intervals (paired Student t test; n - 1 = 26) for all periods during follow-up. Six patients had partial tumor necrosis, and we were attempted to them with a second procedure. Although the necrosis area showed a radiographic increase, no complete necrosis was achieved (secondary success rate 65.6%). No immediate or delayed complications were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT-guided RF ablation is a minimally invasive, safe, and highly effective technique for treatment of malignant rectal recurrence. The method is well tolerated by patients, and pain relief is quickly achieved.
authors.affiliation: Hellenic Red Cross Hospital "Korgialenio-Benakio", Athens, Greece. mylonasophia@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mylona
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karagiannis
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patsoura
authors.forename: Panagiota
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galani
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pomoni
authors.forename: Loukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thanos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media