title: Efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation for treating locoregional recurrence from papillary thyroid cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and safety of ultrasound- (US) guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for controlling locoregional recurrent papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in a large patient population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included patients who had undergone RFA for locoregional recurrent PTC between September 2008 and April 2012 who fulfilled the following criteria: no metastasis beyond the neck; not more than four tumours; confirmed recurrence by US-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy or thyroglobulin measurement of needle washouts; more than a six-month follow-up period; and surgery not feasible or was refused by the patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-one recurrent tumours in 39 patients were included. The mean follow-up duration was 26.4 ± 13.7 months. Tumour volume decreased significantly from 0.20 ± 0.35 ml before ablation to 0.02 ± 0.11 ml (P < .001), with a mean volume reduction ratio of 95.1 ± 12.3%. Fifty tumours (82.0%) completely disappeared. Eleven tumours were visible at last follow-up US. The mean serum thyroglobulin level decreased from 1.21 ± 1.91 to 0.50 ± 0.80 ng/ml (P = .001). The overall complication rate was 7.7% (3/39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RFA can effectively control locoregional recurrent PTC without life-threatening complications; therefore, RFA may replace "berry picking surgery" in selected patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • RFA for recurrent PTC achieved a volume reduction ratio of 95.1 ± 12.3% • Eighty-two percent (50/61) of recurrent PTC completely disappeared after RFA • The mean serum thyroglobulin level decreased significantly (P = .001) after RFA • RFA may replace "berry picking surgery" for recurrent PTC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 86 Asanbyeongwon-Gil, Songpa-Gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Jung Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Jeong Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Won Bae
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Yong
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Kee
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Shong
authors.forename: Suck Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult