Objective: To evaluate the mid-term outcomes of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment in patients with small (< 4 cm) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in Korea.
Materials and methods: Between 2010 and 2015, 51 patients (40 men and 11 women; median age, 57 years) with biopsyproven 51 RCC were treated using CT-guided RFA. All patients were clinically staged T1aN0M0 prior to RFA. The median tumor size and follow-up period were 2.1 cm (range, 1.0-3.9 cm) and 26 months (4-60 months), respectively. Local tumor progression, distant metastasis, primary and secondary effectiveness rates, and major complication rates were recorded. Estimated glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) between pre-RFA and last follow-up were compared using paired t tests. The 2-year recurrence-free survival rate was calculated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.
Results: Of the 51 patients, 2 (3.9%) experienced local tumor progression, and 1 (2.0%) had lymph node metastasis after the first RFA session. Primary and secondary effectiveness rates were 96.1% (49/51) and 100% (1/1), respectively. Only 1 patient experienced a major complication (uretero-pelvic stricture) after the second RFA session for treating a local tumor progression, and the major complication rate was 1.9% (1/52). The median pre-RFA and last follow-up GFRs were 87.1 mL/ min/1.73 m(2) (14.2-142.7 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) and 72.0 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (7.2-112.6 mL/min/1.73 m(2)), respectively (p < 0.0001). The 2-year recurrence-free survival rate was 96.0%.
Conclusion: CT-guided RFA is a safe and effective treatment in Korean patients with T1a RCC because of excellent mid-term outcomes.
Keywords: Computed tomography; Radiofrequency catheter ablation; Renal cell carcinoma; Treatment outcomes.