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Updated: Jul 25, 2025
Application of Laparoscopic Hepatectomy Combined with Intraoperative Microwave Ablation in Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis
Published on: March 3, 2023
A Systematic Review of Microwave Ablation for Colorectal Pulmonary Metastases
Charis Q Y Tan1,2,3, Andy Ho4, Hayden A Robinson4,2
1Department of Surgery, St George Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; charistqy@gmail.com.
Background/Aim:
Pulmonary metastases are the second most common site of metastasis in colorectal cancer after the liver, and microwave ablation (MWA) for its treatment has grown in popularity in patients who are not suitable for pulmonary metastatectomy. However, its long-term efficacy remains unknown.
Materials And Methods:
A systematic review was conducted in July 2022 in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement, using PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases. Studies adopting MWA for colorectal cancer pulmonary metastases were included.
Results:
A total of 488 lesions were ablated in 230 patients across eight studies. The median duration of ablation was 10 minutes. The mean length of stay in hospital was 2.3 days. Complications included pneumothorax in 128 (52%) patients; pneumonia, which occurred in 4 (1.7%) patients, and pulmonary haemorrhage in 23 (10.0%) patients. Complete remission was achieved in 85 (37.0%) patients, local control was achieved in 103 (44.8%) patients, and residual or progressive disease remained in 85 (37.0%). Survival post ablation at 1 year was 89.2% and at 3 years was 40.3%. Post-ablation disease-free survival was 43.2% at 3 years.
Conclusion:
MWA is an alternative treatment for pulmonary metastases of colorectal cancer. It has competitive theoretical properties and local recurrence rate compared to radiofrequency ablation.
Insights
Microwave ablation (MWA) offers a viable treatment for colorectal cancer pulmonary metastases, demonstrating promising local control and survival rates. Further research is needed to fully understand its long-term efficacy and compare it with other ablation techniques.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Interventional Radiology
- Surgical Oncology
Background:
- Pulmonary metastases are a common complication of colorectal cancer.
- Microwave ablation (MWA) is increasingly used for patients ineligible for surgery.
- Long-term outcomes of MWA for pulmonary metastases are not well-established.
Conclusions:
- MWA is a feasible alternative treatment for colorectal cancer pulmonary metastases.
- It shows competitive local recurrence rates compared to radiofrequency ablation.
- MWA offers a promising option for select patient groups.
