# Safety and efficacy of CT-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for stage I non-small cell lung cancer combined with moderate-to-severe pulmonary dysfunction

## TL;DR

Microwave ablation is a safe and effective treatment for early-stage lung cancer in patients with poor lung function.

## Contribution

Demonstrates microwave ablation as a viable treatment for stage I NSCLC in patients with moderate-to-severe pulmonary dysfunction.

## Key findings

- Observation group had 94.9% 1-year and 68.7% 3-year survival rates.
- No significant difference in hospitalization length or complication rates between groups.
- MWA is a safe alternative for patients with poor lung function.

## Abstract

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA) for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients with pulmonary dysfunction.

A retrospective study was conducted involving 1,635 patients who underwent MWA between January 2018 and December 2024. The observation group consisted of 42 patients with moderate-to-severe pulmonary dysfunction, defined as maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) < 70% or forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) < 60%. The control group included 106 patients with normal lung function. The primary study endpoints were postoperative complications and length of hospitalization, while the secondary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS).

The observation group had a median follow-up time of 25.5 months and a median survival period of 39 months, with 1-year and 3-year survival rates of 94.9% and 68.7%, respectively. The control group had a median follow-up time of 22 months and a median survival period of 44 months, with 1-year and 3-year survival rates of 98.1% and 72.3%, respectively. The median length of hospitalization was 6 days in both groups. The incidence of adverse reactions was 42.86% in the observation group and 33.96% in the control group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.4099). In the observation group, statistically significant differences were identified with respect to smoking history, emphysema, and severe pulmonary dysfunction (p < 0.05). Univariate analysis indicated that patients with FEV1 (percentage of predicted value) < 55% and FEV1/VC < 70 were more prone to postoperative complications; however, multivariate analysis revealed no statistically significant differences.

MWA represents a safe, effective, and potential alternative therapeutic option for patients with stage I NSCLC and moderate-to-severe pulmonary dysfunction.