Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a common treatment for inoperable liver tumors; it basically cooks 'em dead by heating them with an electric current. A study published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology wanted to see if it might be safe for inoperable lung metastases, too. (When colorectal cancer spreads, the liver and lungs are two of its top choices.)
Results of the Study
A whole bunch of people who received the treatment had complications like a collapsed lung (37 percent), placement of a chest tube (20 percent), recurrence (47 percent), and an additional RF ablation (58 percent). The upside: The overall three-year survival rate was 46 percent and for many, it was 78 percent.
How Can You Apply This Research to Your Life?
The researchers determined that RF ablation was a safe and effective treatment for selected patients, which to me translates into "ask your doctor if it's right for you and then ask another one just to make sure." According to the study, small lung tumors (less than three centimeters) and the absence of other metastases (to the liver for example) tended to increase survival rate.
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Source: Yamakado, K. and Hase, S. "Radiofrequency Ablation for the Treatment of Unresectable Lung Metastases in Patients with Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter Study in Japan." Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology 18 (2007): 393-398. Accessed 24 Mar. 2007.
