radio frequency ablation

cbecker
cbecker Member Posts: 88
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Has anyone every heard or had radio frequency ablation for treatment of lung cancer. I saw it somewhere and cannot find it that someone had it and it helped his tumors in his lungs. My husband has lung cancer which metazied from head and neck squamous cell. The dr. says not cure but he his going thru cisplatin, 5FU and taxol and going thru pure hell again. The 40 radiation treatments for his neck cancer last year cured that but unfortunately this Jan. it went to elbow bone cancer to which they operated on and fix but the lungs are different. If anyone knows of this rfa please let me hear from you.

Comments

  • tomsbc
    tomsbc Member Posts: 19
    #2
    cbecker, Here's what the Duke cancer center has to say about it;

    http://www.radweb.mc.duke.edu/info/rfa.htm
    tomsbc
  • schuyler
    schuyler Member Posts: 32
    #3
    Hi, Checker I had radiofrequency ablation done on my right lung for a small recurrent tumor. This was done in Feb. 2003. I have mixed feelings about this procedure. It is painful, it does require hospitalization and there are drawbacks such as risk of infection and collapsing the lung. My lung did delflate and I have a pneumothorax (a leak so to speak) in my lung that isn't healing. It leaves me very breathless whenever I exert myself. I am having a CAT scan next week to see if the procedure was successful. It takes time for the scar tissue to heal so you can get an accurate scan reading. Insurance does not cover this as it is not yet approved by the FDA for Lung tumors. Since then, I have had IMRT on a tumor in my left lung. This is a targeted radiation done in 3 treatments and sparing surrounding lung tissue. You might want to ask about IMRT. I am not saying you shouldn't pursue radiofrequency ablation as I am not a DR. I think it would be very hard on your husband after all he has been through whereas IMRT is not invasive and has little or no side effects. Also, insurance covers the IMRT. Best of luck to you.
  • cbecker
    cbecker Member Posts: 88
    #4
    schuyler said:

    Hi, Checker I had radiofrequency ablation done on my right lung for a small recurrent tumor. This was done in Feb. 2003. I have mixed feelings about this procedure. It is painful, it does require hospitalization and there are drawbacks such as risk of infection and collapsing the lung. My lung did delflate and I have a pneumothorax (a leak so to speak) in my lung that isn't healing. It leaves me very breathless whenever I exert myself. I am having a CAT scan next week to see if the procedure was successful. It takes time for the scar tissue to heal so you can get an accurate scan reading. Insurance does not cover this as it is not yet approved by the FDA for Lung tumors. Since then, I have had IMRT on a tumor in my left lung. This is a targeted radiation done in 3 treatments and sparing surrounding lung tissue. You might want to ask about IMRT. I am not saying you shouldn't pursue radiofrequency ablation as I am not a DR. I think it would be very hard on your husband after all he has been through whereas IMRT is not invasive and has little or no side effects. Also, insurance covers the IMRT. Best of luck to you.

    Thanks for the info on radiofrequency ablation. Right now my husband is doing his chemo still of cisplatin, taxol and 5fu and going thru hell again. Last year he had throat cancer and had 40 radiation treatments and got rid of the tumor but unfortunatley in 6 months it spread to his lungs and he has 12 tumors or leisons. He is on a study and Dr. says he has at least a 50% chance of remission. Cannot be cured. Last scan showed one gone and they were shrinking but we have second lung scan to do June 20th. Scary as you know. The chemo has caused radiation recall on his throat. Just liquids for 5 months but he has horrible marble size mouth sores. We've tried alot of solutions and morphin and etc. I could go on but won't keep you. Thanks for the info on RFB. Thanks, cbecker

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