Radiofrequency Ablation for Thyroid Carcinoma

Abstract

Thyroid cancer is one of the most common female cancers, and the incidence is increasing. Although surgery remains a conventional treatment for thyroid cancer, active surveillance has emerged as a reasonable option for low-risk groups. Recently, thermal ablation techniques, such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA), have attracted attention as minimally invasive alternatives for managing thyroid cancer. RFA is an outpatient ultrasound-guided thermal ablative procedure that is a potential alternative to surgery for thyroid cancer. Its applications extend to patients with local recurrence of cancer in the neck who are either unsuitable for surgery or prefer non-surgical interventions. RFA has also shown promise in cases where surgery is not feasible, particularly in low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), showing excellent local control. Recent studies have reported favorable outcomes of RFA in various types of primary thyroid cancer beyond PTMC, as well as in cases of distant metastases such as those affecting bone. This study reviews the historical evolution, technical aspects, and clinical applications of RFA for thyroid cancer and predicts the future direction of RFA in thyroid cancer.

Keywords

• radiofrequency ablation
• thyroid neoplasm
• recurrence
• ultrasonography