Image guided thermal ablation in lung cancer treatment

Lung ablation has been introduced into lung cancer treatment for about two decades. Currently, 3 main choices of thermal energy for lung ablation are radiofrequency ablation (RFA), microwave ablation (MWA), and cryoablation. As a mostly palliative, occasionally curative intent local treatment, the feasibility and safety of lung ablation have been validated in small size lung cancer treatment, especially in lung tumor ≤3 cm. Improved techniques and experience in recent years help render outcomes much better than before for lung cancer patients who are medically inoperable with early stage primary lung cancer, and patients with oligometastasis or local recurrence. For stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients underwent RFA, 1- and 2-year overall survival rate were reported as 86.3% and 69.8%. And 1- and 2-year local recurrence rate were reported as 68.9% and 59.8%. Limitations, including heat sink, skin burn, and inconsistent heat conduction, are observed in the first applied ablation technique, RFA. MWA and cryoablation are developed to overcome these limitations and achieve the goal of less morbidity. Generally, imaged guided thermal ablation has a good safety profile, with pneumothorax as the most common morbidity. This article will mainly discuss the current features and application of these ablation techniques in lung cancer treatment.