Expert review of anticancer therapy
-
Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Dec 2008
ReviewSalvage of local recurrence after primary thermal ablation for small renal masses.
The management of renal tumors has evolved rapidly over the last two decades, with the ascendance of nephron-sparing surgery (NSS), largely spurred by the increased incidental detection of small renal masses (SRMs) and evidence that preservation of renal parenchyma reduces the risk of chronic kidney disease. The field of NSS itself has advanced beyond the standard of open partial nephrectomy, with the application of minimally invasive techniques, such as laparoscopy and thermal ablation. ⋯ With recent studies indicating that surgical excision of previously ablated kidneys can be complicated by significant fibrosis, clinicians who advocate thermal ablation must be cognizant of the sequelae of this treatment modality and versed on the potential difficulties associated with salvage surgery. We provide, herein, an assessment of the efficacy and limitations of primary thermal ablation and strategies for salvage treatment of local recurrence in this growing patient population.