Thermal ablation in cancer

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryoablation are alternative forms of therapy used widely in various pathological states, including treatment of carcinogenesis. The reason is that ablation techniques have ability of modulating the immune system. Furthermore, recent studies have applied this form of therapy on tumor microenvironment and in the systematic circulation. Moreover, RFA and cryoablation result in an inflammatory immune response along with tissue disruption. Evidence has demonstrated that these procedures affect carcinogenesis by causing a significant local inflammatory response leading to an immunogenic gene signature. The present review enlightens the current view of these techniques in cancer.