RITA says conference presentations could spur further study of radiofrequency ablation to treat cancer

By E. Janene Geiss

Philadelphia, Dec. 1 - RITA Medical Systems, Inc. said Wednesday that presentations on its radiofrequency ablation technology at an annual medical conference could be a starting point for comparative follow-on studies that may lead to broader adoption of the procedure in community-based hospitals.

Some of the data on radiofrequency ablation includes details of a clinical study in which 186 lung tumors were treated in 106 patients. Complete ablation of macroscopic tumors as evidenced at three-month computed tomography was achieved in 173 of 186 tumors, according to a company news release.

No procedure-related deaths occurred in prospective multicenter clinical trial with overall survival of 69% at one year and 49% at two years in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, officials said.

This along with the results of several clinical studies featuring radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment of cancer was presented at the Radiology Society of North America 91st Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting in Chicago.

In addition, about 200 physicians attended a symposium on interventional oncology, officials said.

"Radiofrequency ablation was featured prominently at both the symposium and regular RSNA meeting this year, demonstrating in my view a determination among clinicians to expand the application of RFA in the treatment of cancer," Jelle Kylstra, RITA vice president and medical director, said in the release.

Positive results also were discussed from trials using RFA in liver cancer, kidney cancer and bone tumors.

RITA is a Fremont, Calif., medical device company focused solely on cancer therapies.

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