Microwave ablation versus radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of pulmonary tumors

To retrospectively compare the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) in the treatment of pulmonary tumors, a total of 75 patients with lung tumor who underwent thermal ablation therapy in Guangdong General Hospital into the study from March 2007 to December 2014 were enrolled. Of the patients, 43 received radiofrequency ablation and 32 received microwaves ablation. The response rates, overall survival (OS), and complications rates between the RFA group and MWA group were compared. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics between two groups. The overall response rates of in RFA and MWA groups were 79% (34/43) and 69% (22/32), respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference between two groups (P = 0.309). The 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-year overall survival (OS) rates in RFA group and MWA group were 77%, 55%, 42%, 34% and 75%, 44%, 40%, 27%, respectively. No significant differences were found in the OS rates between two groups (P = 0.653). The complication rates were 49% (21/43) in RFA group and 50% (16/32) in MWA group; there was no significant difference between two groups (P = 0.921). No patients died during the perioperative period. Our study shows that no significant differences exist in efficacy and safety between RFA and MWA for the treatment of pulmonary tumors, which indicates that MWA could be a substitute therapy for RFA in terms of effectiveness and safety for treating pulmonary tumors.

[1]  D. Dupuy,et al.  Clinical experiences with microwave thermal ablation of lung malignancies , 2017, International journal of hyperthermia : the official journal of European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology, North American Hyperthermia Group.

[2]  J. Bruix,et al.  Evidence-Based Diagnosis, Staging, and Treatment of Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma. , 2016, Gastroenterology.

[3]  K. Steinke,et al.  Percutaneous CT-guided thermal ablation as salvage therapy for recurrent non-small cell lung cancer after external beam radiotherapy: A retrospective study , 2016, International journal of hyperthermia : the official journal of European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology, North American Hyperthermia Group.

[4]  Amita Sharma,et al.  Radiofrequency ablation of stage IA non–small cell lung cancer in medically inoperable patients: Results from the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z4033 (Alliance) trial , 2015, Cancer.

[5]  H. Takaki,et al.  Radiofrequency Ablation Using a Multiple-Electrode Switching System for Lung Tumors with 2.0-5.0-cm Maximum Diameter: Phase II Clinical Study. , 2015, Radiology.

[6]  S. Peters,et al.  Present standards and future perspectives in the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer , 2015, Cancer and Metastasis Reviews.

[7]  T. de Baère,et al.  Radiofrequency ablation is a valid treatment option for lung metastases: experience in 566 patients with 1037 metastases , 2015, Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology.

[8]  Lei Zhang,et al.  Therapeutic Efficacy of Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation versus Microwave Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma , 2013, PloS one.

[9]  H. Liu,et al.  High‐powered percutaneous microwave ablation of stage I medically inoperable non‐small cell lung cancer: A preliminary study , 2013, Journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology.

[10]  H. Dienemann,et al.  Thermal ablation of malignant lung tumors. , 2013, Deutsches Arzteblatt international.

[11]  G. Carrafiello,et al.  Complications of microwave and radiofrequency lung ablation: personal experience and review of the literature , 2012, La radiologia medica.

[12]  D. Dupuy,et al.  Image-guided thermal ablation of lung malignancies. , 2011, Radiology.

[13]  W. Moore,et al.  Comparison of survival after sublobar resections and ablative therapies for stage I non-small cell lung cancer. , 2010, Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

[14]  G. Fontanini,et al.  Thermal Ablation of Lung Tissue: In Vivo Experimental Comparison of Microwave and Radiofrequency , 2010, CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology.

[15]  Christopher L Brace,et al.  Pulmonary thermal ablation: comparison of radiofrequency and microwave devices by using gross pathologic and CT findings in a swine model. , 2009, Radiology.

[16]  J. Luketich,et al.  Radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in marginal surgical candidates. , 2005, The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery.

[17]  K. Takeda,et al.  Lung radiofrequency ablation with and without bronchial occlusion: experimental study in porcine lungs. , 2004, Journal of vascular and interventional radiology : JVIR.

[18]  F. Marshall.  Radiofrequency Ablation: Effect of Surrounding Tissue Composition on Coagulation Necrosis in a Canine Tumor Model , 2004 .

[19]  Robert E Lenkinski,et al.  Radiofrequency ablation: effect of surrounding tissue composition on coagulation necrosis in a canine tumor model. , 2004, Radiology.

[20]  H. Kondo,et al.  Surgical treatment for metastatic malignancies. Pulmonary metastasis: indications and outcomes , 2004, International Journal of Clinical Oncology.

[21]  P. V. Van Schil.  SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR PULMONARY METASTASES , 2002, Acta clinica Belgica.

[22]  A. Jacob,et al.  Pulmonary radiofrequency ablation--an international study survey. , 2004, Anticancer research.