Percutaneous Image-guided Thermal Ablation for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Nephrectomy is the gold standard for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, some patients are not suitable candidates for nephrectomy because of high surgical risk, reduced renal function, or the presence of multiple renal tumors. Percutaneous image-guided thermal ablation, including cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation, is a minimally invasive and highly effective treatment and can be used to treat RCC in patients who are not good candidates for surgery. This article will review percutaneous image-guided thermal ablation for RCC, covering treatment indications, ablation modalities and techniques, oncologic outcomes, and possible complications. In addition, the characteristics of each ablation modality and its comparison with nephrectomy are also presented.