title: Safety and efficacy of microwave ablation for medically inoperable colorectal pulmonary metastases: Single-centre experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the safety and therapeutic efficacy of percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) for colorectal pulmonary metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of CT-guided lung MWA at a single tertiary institution. Adverse events within 30 days of MWA were considered procedure-related complications. Imaging follow-up was with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT and contrast-enhanced CT. Response of index tumours was assessed using modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumours (mRECIST).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CT-guided lung MWA was performed in 14 patients with treatment of 20 colorectal pulmonary metastases during 19 procedures. Mean follow-up from completion of the treatment protocol was 24.4 ± 11.8 months. Primary and secondary technique effectiveness rates were 75% and 50% respectively. Mean pre- and post-procedural carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) levels were 7.9 ± 10.8 µg/L and 2.5 ± 2.1 µg/L respectively. Procedure-related complications were major in three procedures (15.8%) and minor in six procedures (31.6%). No procedure-related deaths occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microwave ablation is safe and efficacious in the local control of colorectal pulmonary metastases. The frequent systemic disease progression despite local control would favour a minimally invasive treatment option over invasive surgery in the setting of oligometastatic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.|School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Craig D
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7896-4465
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.|School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Chris R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Luis
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.|School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steinke
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: colorectal carcinoma; microwave ablation; pulmonary metastases