Minimal Invasive Management of Small Renal Masses: State of Art and New Trends

Abstract

With the widespread use of abdominal imaging modalities such as ultrasound (US), computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), there has been a pronounced increase in the incidence of renal tumors especially clinically localized, small < 2 cm ones. Moreover the final pathology of these lesions is benign up to 30%. The development of ablation techniques (radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation, high-intensity focused ultrasound and microwave ablation) with continuous innovations such as refinement of probes and real-time imaging capabilities has pioneered the great interest in these techniques, especially for the treatment of T1 renal malignancies. RFA and CA have similar cancer specific survival, disease-free survival, recurrence free survival and overall survival rates compared to nephrectomy. MWA and HIFU remain still experimental due to low patient volume and insufficient clinical experience. Minimal invasive techniques can be a feasible treatment alternative for patients who have high surgical and anesthetic risk with multiple comorbidities, have multiple tumors due to a systemic disease like VHL or do not want to undergo extirpative surgery. Especially elderly patients can be good candidates for these procedures with their relatively short life expectance and impaired performance status.