Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) are treatments that use image guidance to place a needle through the skin into a tumor within the chest.

In RFA, high-frequency electrical currents are passed through an electrode, creating a small region of heat.

In MWA, microwaves are created from the needle to create a small region of heat.

The heat destroys the lung cancer cells.

RFA and MWA may be used to treat lung tumors or provide palliative care.

They are effective treatment options for patients who might have difficulty with surgery and for those for whom surgery is not an option due to the spread of a tumor to the lungs from the primary tumor or cancers outside the chest.

RFA can usually be administered as an outpatient procedure, though may at times require a brief hospital stay.