Radio frequencies can cure inoperable lung tumors

Washington, August 02, 2004

Researchers at the IRCCS Hospital of Oncology at Bari in Italy have reportedly discovered a safe and effective way to treat patients with inoperable lung tumors.

The study which appears in the American Journal of Roentgenology this month, states that by using Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) on 18 patients diagnosed with inoperable lung tumors, the researchers treated 40 nodules, and found that upon regular follow-up, no relapse was detected in 94 percent of the patients.

Doctors are certain in their belief that not only certain cases of lung tumors, unsuitable for surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, can be treated by RFA, as complications arising out of RFA is minimal, but in the long run many patients having operable tumors may also go in for RFA treatment.

"Lung RFA can get around all those problems. It is minimally invasive, with only a small needle being inserted into the patient," claimed Dr. Cosmo Gadaleta, the lead author of the study.

"It is also advantageous because of potentially low costs, short hospitalization times, and good patient tolerance without mortality. The risk is small when compared to the benefits of lung RFA. And since the radiology team anticipates the possibility of pneumothorax developing as a result of the procedure, they carefully monitor the patient so they can quickly treat any complications," he added.

"We feel that lung RFA could become more prevalent, first for patients who are not candidates for surgery, but also as an alternative to surgery for operable primary lung tumors, as long as the tumor is not too large," he concluded.