Percutaneous thermal ablation of sacral metastases: Assessment of pain relief and local tumor control

Abstract

PurposeTo retrospectively report on safety, pain relief and local tumor control achieved with percutaneous ablation of sacral bone metastases. Materials and methodsFrom February 2009 to June 2020, 23 consecutive patients (12 women and 11 men; mean age, 60±8 [SD] years; median, 60; range: 48-80 years) with 23 sacral metastases underwent radiofrequency (RFA) or cryo-ablation (CA), with palliative or curative intent at our institution. Patients’ demographics and data pertaining to treated metastases, procedure-related variables, safety, and clinical evolution following ablation were collected and analyzed. Pain was assessed with numerical pain rating scale (NPRS). ResultsSixteen (70%) patients were treated with palliative and 7 (30%) with curative intent. Mean tumor diameter was 38±19 (SD) mm (median, 36; range: 11-76). External radiation therapy had been performed on five metastases (5/23; 22%) prior to ablation. RFA was used in 9 (39%) metastases and CA in the remaining 14 (61%). Thermo-protective measures and adjuvant bone consolidation were used whilst treating 20 (87%) and 8 (35%) metastases, respectively. Five (22%) minor complications were recorded. At mean 31±21 (SD) (median, 32; range: 2-70) months follow-up mean NPRS was 2±2 (SD) (median, 1; range: 0–6) vs. 5±1 (median, 5; range: 4–8; P<0.001) at the baseline. Three metastases out of 7 (43%) undergoing curative ablation showed local progression at mean 4±4 (SD) (median, 2; range: 1-8) months follow-up. ConclusionPercutaneous ablation of sacral metastases is safe and results in significant long-lasting pain relief. Local tumor control seems sub-optimal; however, further investigations are needed to confirm these findings due to paucity of data.