Open AccessRadiofrequency ablation ( RFA ) for palliative treatment of painful non‐small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC ) rib metastasis: Experience in 12 patients
Author(s) -
Hu Mu,
Zhi Xiuyi,
Zhang Jian
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
thoracic cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1759-7714
pISSN - 1759-7706
DOI - 10.1111/1759-7714.12258
Subject(s) - medicine , radiofrequency ablation , metastasis , visual analogue scale , lung cancer , refractory (planetary science) , palliative care , analgesic , surgery , carcinoma , lung , pneumothorax , cancer , ablation , radiology , oncology , anesthesia , physics , nursing , astrobiology
Background Painful rib metastasis is common in non‐small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) . Pain is often partially or totally refractory to analgesic medications or the side effects of medication are unacceptable. We report the safety and efficacy of a new method: radiofrequency ablation ( RFA) in treating painful NSCLC rib metastasis. Methods RFA procedures were completed in 12 patients with painful rib metastasis. Patient age ranged from 66–83 years (mean 74.8 years, standard deviation ( SD ) = 5.3). There were four cases of squamous‐carcinoma, seven adenocarcinomas, and one case of large cell carcinoma. Pain caused by neoplasm size, pain levels pre‐procedure and post‐procedure (as assessed using the visual analog scale, VAS ), time length, and target temperature of RFA treatments were documented. Results RFA procedures were performed with 100% technical success. The mean pre‐procedure and post‐procedure pain, as measured by the VAS , was 7.9 ( SD = 0.90) and 3.4 ( SD = 0.99), respectively. No symptomatic complications occurred. Non‐symptomatic complications included one case of pneumothorax and one case of hemoptysis. Conclusion RFA appears to be a safe, practical, and effective method for the palliative treatment of painful NSCLC chest wall metastasis.