Percutaneous kidney ablation: a good option in selected cases

Partial nephrectomy (PN) has been recognized as the gold standard for definitive treatment of cT1 renal tumors. However, percutaneous ablation (PA) is widely regarded as an acceptable alternative in select patients. Current the American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines view both PN and PA as first-line options in T1a (<3 cm) patients, especially in those deemed poor surgical candidates (1). Despite this shift, an overwhelming number of patients remain treated with PN, which has supplanted radical nephrectomy over the past decade as the predominant surgical treatment, whereas older cohorts are more likely to undergo ablation or active surveillance (2).