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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Thermal Ablation for the Treatment of Abdominal Tumors
Published on: March 7, 2011
Thermal ablation for visible cervical HSIL or suspected HSIL: a tissue-conserving alternative to excision in selected
Yan Zhou1, Yunfeng Zhang2, Dongping Rao3
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Henan University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
Background:
This study evaluates the feasibility and clinical outcomes of squamocolumnar junction (SCJ)-targeted thermal ablation in patients with visible cervical lesions diagnosed as high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) or suspected HSIL, and explores changes in CK7-positive SCJ cells following treatment.
Methods:
In this prospective cohort study, 226 patients meeting predefined eligibility criteria between June 2017 and December 2024 were managed with either SCJ-targeted thermal ablation (n = 110) or loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP, n = 116), based on clinical assessment and patient preference. Outcomes included operative parameters, complications, cytological abnormalities, high-risk HPV (hrHPV) clearance, lesion persistence or recurrence, and changes in CK7-positive SCJ cells in a subset of patients.
Results:
Baseline clinicopathologic characteristics were broadly comparable between groups, although treatment allocation was non-randomized. SCJ ablation was associated with shorter operative time, minimal intraoperative blood loss, fewer procedure-related complications, and lower treatment cost compared with LEEP (P < 0.05). During follow-up, rates of cytological abnormalities and lesion recurrence were low in both groups, with no progression to invasive carcinoma observed. A higher rate of hrHPV positivity was noted in the ablation group at 3 months (36.4% vs. 18.1%, P = 0.006), but this difference was not observed at subsequent time points. In a subset analysis, CK7-positive SCJ cells markedly decreased following both treatments, with no residual CK7-positive HSIL or SCJ cells identified post-treatment.
Conclusion:
In carefully selected patients with fully visible transformation zones, SCJ-targeted thermal ablation demonstrated favorable procedural outcomes and similar observed short- to mid-term clinical results compared with LEEP in this observational cohort. These findings support its potential as a tissue-conserving treatment option in selected cases. The reduction in CK7-positive SCJ cells suggests a possible biologic basis for SCJ-targeted therapy, although this remains exploratory. Given the non-randomized design and limited event rates, these findings should be interpreted with caution, and further prospective studies are warranted.
