[Effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation of lung tumours ]

There has been great success in the treatment of primary and secondary tumours of the liver using radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy, resulting in this method being used for other solid tumours such as in the lung. However, concerning lung cancer only few data are available about the histomorphological effects of this method. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of RFA therapy in tumours of the lung.

Eleven patients with non-small-cell lung cancer and one with a lung metastasis (primary tumour identified as urothelial carcinoma) underwent RFA therapy followed by resection of the affected lobe. One patient with a metastasis of the liver was included for comparison of treatment effects. Histomorphological analysis of the collected material was used to measure the amount of necrosis.

None of the treated tumours of the lung showed complete necrosis after applying RFA therapy. In contrast, this method with the control metastasis of the liver resulted in complete thermal destruction.

Our results indicate that RFA therapy is not adequate for successful induction of necrosis in tumours of the lung. Therefore the use of this method has to be considered extremely carefully as a palliative treatment option in tumours of the lung.