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- Surgery for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Radiation Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Tumor Treating Fields (TTF) Therapy for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
- Chemotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Targeted Drug Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Immunotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Palliative Procedures for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Treatment Choices for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, by Stage
- If You Have Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
- If You Have Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Lung Cancer Quiz
- Lung Cancer Videos
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Many people with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are not healthy enough to undergo surgery. Some people might have a lung tumor in a place that makes surgery very difficult. Others might have advanced lung cancer and lung surgery may not be helpful. In these cases, ablative treatments (ablation) may be a treatment option. Ablative treatment is the use of temperature (hot and cold) to kill cancer cells and their surrounding tissue.
Types of ablation for lung cancer
- Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses high-energy radio waves to heat and destroy the tumor cells.
- Cryoablation uses liquid nitrogen or argon gas to freeze and destroy the tumor cells.
- Microwave ablation uses electromagnetic energy to heat and destroy the tumor cells.
Ways to do ablation for lung cancer
- Ablation using percutaneous approach: A thin, needle-like probe is put through the skin and moved in until the tip is in the tumor. Placement of the probe is guided by CT scans. This is usually done as an outpatient procedure, using local anesthesia (numbing medicine) where the probe is inserted. You may be given medicine to help you relax.
- Ablation using bronchoscopy: You will be given anesthesia for the bronchoscopy. Ablation will be done through the bronchoscopy tube and your airway, rather than from the outside through the skin. This is still quite a new way to give ablative treatment.
Major complications are uncommon, but they can include the partial collapse of a lung (which often goes away on its own) or bleeding into the lung.
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Chiang A, Detterbeck FC, Stewart T, Decker RH, Tanoue L. Chapter 48: Non-small cell lung cancer. In: DeVita VT, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA, eds. DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg’s Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2019.
Dupuy DE. Image-guided ablation of lung tumors. UpToDate website. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/image-guided-ablation-of-lung-tumors. Updated Nov 6, 2023. Accessed Jan 23, 2024.
Iyengar P, All S, Berry MF, Boike TP, Bradfield L, Dingemans AC, Feldman J, Gomez DR, Hesketh PJ, Jabbour SK, Jeter M, Josipovic M, Lievens Y, McDonald F, Perez BA, Ricardi U, Ruffini E, De Ruysscher D, Saeed H, Schneider BJ, Senan S, Widder J, Guckenberger M. Treatment of Oligometastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: An ASTRO/ESTRO Clinical Practice Guideline. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2023 Sep-Oct;13(5):393-412. doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2023.04.004. Epub 2023 Apr 25. PMID: 37294262.
Jairam V, Park HS, Decker RH. Local Ablative Therapies for Oligometastatic and Oligoprogressive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancer J. 2020 Mar/Apr;26(2):129-136. doi: 10.1097/PPO.0000000000000433. PMID: 32205537.
Juan O, Popat S. Ablative Therapy for Oligometastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Clin Lung Cancer. 2017 Nov;18(6):595-606. doi: 10.1016/j.cllc.2017.03.002. Epub 2017 Mar 14. PMID: 28377206.
National Cancer Institute. Physician Data Query (PDQ). Health Professional Version. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment. 2023. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/types/lung/hp/non-small-cell-lung-treatment-pdq on Jan 23, 2024.
Last Revised: January 29, 2024
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