Purpose: We defined the role of radio frequency ablation in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.
Materials and methods: A total of 16 patients with biopsy proven renal cell carcinoma were treated with radio frequency ablation in an outpatient setting and followed for a minimum of 4 years.
Results: Of the 16 patients 5 died before 4 years of followup of unrelated causes. All except 1 tumor was successfully treated. All patients with exophytic tumors were successfully treated.
Conclusions: Radio frequency ablation of exophytic renal cell carcinomas less than 5 cm in diameter is effective in eradicating the tumor and comparable to surgical extirpation at 4 years.