title: Recurrent non-small cell lung cancer: evaluation of CT-guided radiofrequency ablation as salvage therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a potential application as a salvage tool after failure of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although several studies have evaluated the use of RFA in primary NSCLC, there is little literature on its potential application as a salvage tool.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate CT-guided RFA employed as a salvage therapy for pulmonary recurrences of NSCLC after prior treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective computer database search yielded 33 patients with biopsy proven primary NSCLC who underwent CT-guided RFA of 39 recurrent tumors following surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. Follow-up imaging was performed with CT and PET-CT. The endpoints of interest were progression-free survival (PFS) and time to local progression (TTLP). PFS and TTLP were compared by lesion size (<3 cm, ≥3 cm).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median PFS was 8 months. For patients with a tumor size <3 cm median PFS was 11 months, whereas the median PFS of patients with a tumor size ≥3 cm was 5 months. The difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.09). The median TTLP of all tumors was 14 months. TTLP of ablated tumors <3 cm in size was 24 months, compared to 8 months for ablated tumors ≥3 cm in size. The difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RFA of recurrent NSCLC may be a valuable salvage tool to achieve local tumor control, especially in tumors measuring <3 cm in size.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY,  USA.
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schoellnast
authors.forename: Ajita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deodhar
authors.forename: Meier
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Chaya
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moskowitz
authors.forename: Sadek A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nehmeh
authors.forename: Raymond H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: Constantinos T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Sofocleous
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Alago
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Downey
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Azzoli
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Rosenzweig
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Solomon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007902:Length of Stay; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome