Ablation for the management of pulmonary malignancies

Surgical resection remains the treatment of choice for patients with early-stage primary lung cancer and selected patients with limited metastatic lung disease. However, surgery is a high-risk treatment for patients with coexisting morbidities, severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a single lung, or a history of prior resection. The indications for and outcomes of ablative therapies performed for the management of pulmonary malignancies are discussed.

Preservation of residual lung parenchyma when treating patients with early-stage primary lung cancer and those with limited metastatic lung disease is vital and can be achieved with image-guided thermal ablation therapies.