[Radiofrequency ablation of lung and bone tumors]

Radiofrequency ablation was initially used for treatment of liver primary and metastatic disease. Recently the technique has been used for treatment of kidney, bone, lung, and mammary neoplasms. Radiofrequency electrode is positioned in the target tumor under imaging guidance. For lung or bone tumors, computed tomography is the only method of guidance. Radiofrequency ablation of lung tumor is performed in order to cure the disease and consequently pre-imaging work-up must be equivalent t pre-surgical work-up. Today lung radiofrequency ablation is mostly performed in patients bearing less than 5 tumors and tumors smaller than 4 cm. In such a population of patients radiofrequency ablation has demonstrated a local efficacy of 92% at 9 months, with 95% and 87% for tumor smaller and larger than 2 cm, respectively. Survival benefit still remains unclear. Bone tumors are mostly treat for pain palliation. In a population of 45 patients with a minimal pain of 4 on a scale from 0 to 10, radiofrequency was able to provide a drop of at least 3 points in 84% of patients. Radiofrequency provides a minimally invasive cure of small tumors. It can also be used as a palliative tool.