Tumor ablation (radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation)
Ablation destroys a tumor in place using thin needles or probes guided by imaging — with heat generated by radiofrequency current (RFA) or with extreme cold (cryoablation). It is used mainly for small, well-localized tumors, for example in the liver, kidney, lung, prostate, or on the skin, often when surgery is not possible. The approach is less invasive than an operation, but only tumors visible on imaging tests can be treated, and for some uses long-term cancer control has not been fully established.
How it works
In radiofrequency ablation, a needle electrode is placed into the tumor through the skin or during surgery, guided by ultrasound, CT, or MRI. High-energy radio waves heat the needle and the surrounding tissue, killing the cancer cells; a related technique uses microwaves instead. In cryoablation (also called cryosurgery or cryotherapy), a probe cooled with liquid nitrogen or argon gas freezes the tumor, and when the frozen tissue thaws, the cells die. Skin lesions and some precancerous changes can be frozen directly with liquid nitrogen applied as a spray or with a swab.
Because only a small puncture is usually needed, pain, bleeding, and other surgical complications are reduced; many procedures are done under local anesthesia without a hospital stay, and treatment can be repeated or combined with other therapies. Side effects depend on the site — for example, freezing in the liver can injure bile ducts or blood vessels, prostate cryoablation can cause urinary incontinence or erectile problems, and skin treatment can leave scarring or loss of pigment.
Used in
Liver & Intrahepatic Bile Ducts
C22
thermal ablation is an established option for small tumours
Kidney
C64
option for small tumours in patients unsuitable for surgery