What is Tumor Ablation?
Tumor ablation is a minimally invasive procedure used to destroy tumors (cancerous or non-cancerous) without open surgery. It is typically performed by a doctor (often an Interventional Radiologist or surgeon) using image guidance (such as ultrasound, CT, or MRI) to precisely position a needle-like probe into the tumor.
Common Types of Thermal Ablation:
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): Uses high-frequency electrical current to generate heat that destroys tumor cells.
- Microwave Ablation (MWA): Uses electromagnetic waves to create heat that destroys tumor cells.
- Cryoablation: Uses extremely cold temperatures to freeze and destroy the tumor cells.
Ablation is often used to treat small tumors in organs such as the liver, kidney, and lung, especially in patients who are not candidates for surgery.
Benefits of Tumor Ablation
Tumor ablation offers several potential advantages over traditional surgery for selected patients:
| Benefit | Description |
| Minimally Invasive | Performed through a small skin incision (a nick) or puncture, typically resulting in less pain and scarring. |
| Rapid Recovery | Shorter hospital stay (often the same day or overnight) and faster return to normal activities (usually within a few days). |
| Preserves Healthy Tissue | The procedure is targeted, aiming to destroy the tumor while sparing a large amount of the healthy surrounding organ tissue. |
| Repeatable | Can often be repeated to treat new or recurrent tumors. |
| Alternative to Surgery | An effective option for patients who cannot undergo major surgery due to other medical conditions or the location of the tumor. |
| High Technical Success Rate | The probe is successfully placed and the tumor is fully treated in a high percentage of cases (often over 90% for RFA and MWA in the liver). |
Risks and Potential Complications
While tumor ablation is generally safe and associated with low rates of major complications, risks are involved with any medical procedure. The specific risks depend on the organ being treated and the type of ablation used.
| Complication | General Risk Percentage (Approximate Range) | Description |
| Major Complications | 1% – 5% | Serious events that may require further treatment or an extended hospital stay (e.g., severe bleeding, organ injury, or abscess). |
| Minor Complications | 3% – 17% | Less serious issues that typically resolve without major intervention. |
| Bleeding/Hemorrhage | < 1% – 3% (Major) | Bleeding at the probe insertion site or internally, which may occasionally require a blood transfusion or additional procedure. |
| Injury to Nearby Organs | 3% – 5% (Liver Ablation) | Thermal damage to structures near the tumor, such as the bowel, bile ducts, or diaphragm, requiring potential surgical repair. |
| Infection/Abscess | < 1% – 2% | Localized infection at the ablation site, which may require antibiotics or drainage. |
| Post-Ablation Syndrome | ~25% (1 in 4 patients) | Flu-like symptoms (fever, body aches, fatigue) that can appear 3 to 5 days after the procedure and usually last for about a week. |
| Pain | Common (Immediately following), ~2% (Lasting a week) | Discomfort at the treatment site, which is usually managed with pain medication. Persistent severe pain is uncommon. |
| Local Tumor Recurrence | Varies (Often low for small tumors) | The original tumor is not completely destroyed or comes back at the treated site over time. May require repeat ablation or other treatment. |
| Needle Track Seeding | Very Rare | Tumor cells spreading along the path of the needle. |
| Procedure-Related Death | < 1% (e.g., 0.15% for RFA, 0.23% for MWA in liver studies) | The risk of death directly related to the procedure is very low. |
What to Expect
- Before the Procedure: You will have imaging tests and blood work. You may be asked to stop taking blood-thinning medications for a period before the procedure.
- During the Procedure: You will receive sedation or general anesthesia. The doctor will use imaging to guide the probe into the tumor and apply the ablative energy (heat or cold). The procedure usually takes 1 to 3 hours.
- After the Procedure: You will be monitored in a recovery area. You may experience mild pain, which can be managed with medication. Most patients are discharged the same day or the next morning.
- Recovery: You should limit strenuous activity for a few days. Follow-up imaging will be scheduled to confirm the tumor has been destroyed.
Sources
A wide variety of clinical studies and meta-analyses provide data on the efficacy and safety of tumor ablation. The percentages provided in this sheet are based on reported figures from the medical literature, particularly for Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) and Microwave Ablation (MWA) for liver tumors, which are two of the most commonly studied applications.
Bhakta, I., et al. “Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) of Hepatic Malignant Tumors: A Single Center Experience with 1500 Sessions.” American Journal of Roentgenology, vol. 200, no. 5, 2013, pp. W550-W555. (Provides data on RFA mortality and major/minor complication rates.)
Mauri, G., et al. “Complications after percutaneous ablation of liver tumors: a systematic review.” Hepatobiliary Surgery and Nutrition, vol. 3, no. 4, 2014, pp. 248–255. (Offers pooled analysis of mortality and major complication rates for RFA and MWA.)
Odisio, B.C., et al. “Percutaneous image-guided tumor ablation: A summary of the updated 2021 SIR standard of practice.” Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, vol. 32, no. 12, 2021, pp. 1655-1663. (Provides high-level guidelines and general safety profile.)
Mayo Clinic Staff. “Radiofrequency ablation for cancer.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2024.
RadiologyInfo.org. “Thermal Ablation for Tumor Treatment (Cryotherapy, RFA, MWA).” Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and American College of Radiology (ACR).