Radiofrequency Interstitial Tissue Ablation in Treating Patients With Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma (Kidney Cancer)

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Evaluate the efficacy of radiofrequency interstitial tissue ablation in terms of tumor destruction or slowed tumor growth rate in patients with localized renal cell carcinoma.

Secondary

• Assess the toxicity of this treatment regimen in these patients.

OUTLINE: Patients undergo percutaneous radiofrequency interstitial tumor ablation (RFA). Patients are offered laparoscopy-assisted percutaneous RFA in the operating room if their tumors are not safely accessible. Intra-operative ultrasound is used to confirm probe placement and to monitor treatment delivery. If the target temperature or impedance are not reached, treatment is repeated no more than twice. No more than 5 tumors are treated per kidney.

All patients are followed at 2 to 3 months, 6 months, and then at 1 year.

Patients with tumors greater than 2 cm in diameter are followed every 6 months for up to 5 years. Patients whose tumors become greater than 3 cm are recommended for surgery and removed from study if surgery is performed.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 63 patients will be accrued for this study within 1 year.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Localized renal cell carcinoma, meeting both of the following criteria:

• Enlarging renal tumors on imaging studies over a minimum of 12 months
• Tumor size between 0.5-4.0 cm in diameter at time of treatment

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Not specified

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min

Other:

• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• Not specified

Endocrine therapy

• Not specifed

Radiotherapy

• Not specified

Surgery

• Not specified