Percutaneous Lung Thermal Ablation of Non-surgical Clinical N0 Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Results of Eight Years’ Experience in 87 Patients from Two Centers

Purpose: To evaluate the survival outcomes of percutaneous thermal ablation (RFA + microwaves) for patients presenting N0 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) ineligible for surgery. Materials and Methods: Eighty-seven patients from two comprehensive cancer centers were included. Eighty-two patients were treated with RFA electrodes and five with microwave antenna. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were estimated and predictive factors of local tumor progression, OS and DFS identified and compared by univariate and multivariate analyses Results: Median follow-up was 30.5 months (interquartile range 16.7–51) and tumor size was 21 mm (range 10–54 mm). Treatment was incomplete for 14 patients with a local tumor progression of 11.5, 18.3, and 21.1 % at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. Two patients presented with neurological (grade III or IV) complications, and one died of respiratory and multivisceral failure as a result of the procedure at 29 days. In univariate analysis, increasing tumor size (P = 0.003) was the only predictive factor related to risk of local tumor progression. 5-year OS and DFS were 58.1 and 27.9 %, respectively. Sex (P = 0.044), pathology (P = 0.032), and tumor size >2 cm (P = 0.046) were prognostic factors for DFS. In multivariate analysis, pathology (P = 0.033) and tumor size >2 cm (P = 0.032) were independent prognostic factors for DFS. Conclusions: Oversized and overlapping ablation of N0 NSCLC was well tolerated, effective, with few local tumor progressions, even over long-term follow-up. Increasing tumor size was the main prognostic factor linked to OS, DFS, and local tumor progression.