Does Renal Mass Ablation Provide Adequate Long-term Oncologic Control?

Renal ablation (RA) is no longer used exclusively in patients with limited life expectancy. There are few studies reporting a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Biases and discrepancies within the literature are abundant. The outcomes of any series must be interpreted in the context of median follow-up time, reported tumor characteristics, ablation technique and training background of the practitioner, and the definition of tumor recurrence. The long-term oncologic efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryoablation appear similar, although the percutaneous RFA technique may necessitate reablation in more cases. RA is associated with slightly higher rates of local recurrence compared to surgical excision.