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Radio Frequency Ablation for Prostate Cancer Treatment

Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) is a non-surgical treatment that kills cancerous tumors through electrical heat. Used most often to treat liver, kidney and lung cancers, RFA is gaining popularity as a treatment procedure for prostate cancer.

  1. How It Works

    • Guided by computed tomography (CT) or ultrasound, a physician inserts a thin, electrified needle through the skin, prostate and into the tumor. The needle delivers electrical energy to the tumor, heating and then wiping out the tumor. The patient is anesthetized for the procedure. Though times will depend on the size of tumor being ablated, the procedure usually takes about an hour.

    Recovery

    • A mildly invasive procedure, most patients that undergo RFA stay in the hospital overnight after the procedure and go home the next day.

    Side Effects and Complications

    • Only 5 percent of patients experience complications from the procedure. Reactions to the anesthesia, such as a low-grade fever or minor muscle aches, are common. Some patients complain of slight discomfort in the pelvis in the 24 hours following the procedure.

    Use with Other Cancer Therapies

    • RFA is often performed in combination with other cancer therapies, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

    Advantages and Disadvantages

    • RFA is becoming a more popular treatment for prostate cancer for its relatively non-invasive, painless method, short recovery times and high success rate on small tumors. However, RFA is a relatively new procedure and research on its true efficacy has been limited. Also, because it is considered an experimental surgery, RFA is still prohibitively expensive.

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