BACKGROUND: There is increasing demand for minimally invasive treatments for small breast cancer mainly because of the desire for better cosmetic results. Although radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an attractive approach as a local control method for small breast cancer, the problems of histological effectiveness and safety management remain. METHODS: A total of 29 patients including one patient with bilateral breast cancer were enrolled in this study. The mean tumor size of 30 breasts was 12.8 mm (range 5-19 mm). Under general anesthesia, RFA was performed with a Cool-tip RF system (Valleylab, Boulder, CO, USA) after sentinel lymph node biopsy. Postoperative evaluation with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and vacuum-assisted core needle biopsy was done 3-4 weeks after RFA before radiotherapy. Ablated tumors were evaluated with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)-diaphorase staining. If needed, adjuvant chemo and/or endocrine therapy was performed. RESULTS: All patients except one completed one session of RFA. The mean temperature near the center of the tumors was 89.6°C (range 78-100°C). Postoperative MRI showed the ablated zone clearly in all patients. MRI revealed no hypervascularity of the tumors in the ablated zone. Evaluation with H&E staining of the tumors showed remarkable degenerative changes in only three patients. NADH-diaphorase staining showed no viable tumor tissue in 24 patients out of 26 examined. Three patients received small diameter grade 3 skin burns, two on the outside of the thigh from the grounding pad and one on the breast skin. One patient had a breast lesion like a chronic granulomatous mastitis resulting from overreaction of the ablated zone. CONCLUSIONS: RFA therapy appeared relevant and applicable for patients with small breast cancer. Because small skin burns were observed as adverse events, close attention should be paid in the course of the RFA procedure.
BACKGROUND: There is increasing demand for minimally invasive treatments for small breast cancer mainly because of the desire for better cosmetic results. Although radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an attractive approach as a local control method for small breast cancer, the problems of histological effectiveness and safety management remain. METHODS: A total of 29 patients including one patient with bilateral breast cancer were enrolled in this study. The mean tumor size of 30 breasts was 12.8 mm (range 5-19 mm). Under general anesthesia, RFA was performed with a Cool-tip RF system (Valleylab, Boulder, CO, USA) after sentinel lymph node biopsy. Postoperative evaluation with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and vacuum-assisted core needle biopsy was done 3-4 weeks after RFA before radiotherapy. Ablated tumors were evaluated with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)-diaphorase staining. If needed, adjuvant chemo and/or endocrine therapy was performed. RESULTS: All patients except one completed one session of RFA. The mean temperature near the center of the tumors was 89.6°C (range 78-100°C). Postoperative MRI showed the ablated zone clearly in all patients. MRI revealed no hypervascularity of the tumors in the ablated zone. Evaluation with H&E staining of the tumors showed remarkable degenerative changes in only three patients. NADH-diaphorase staining showed no viable tumor tissue in 24 patients out of 26 examined. Three patients received small diameter grade 3 skin burns, two on the outside of the thigh from the grounding pad and one on the breast skin. One patient had a breast lesion like a chronic granulomatous mastitis resulting from overreaction of the ablated zone. CONCLUSIONS: RFA therapy appeared relevant and applicable for patients with small breast cancer. Because small skin burns were observed as adverse events, close attention should be paid in the course of the RFA procedure.
Authors: Giovanni Mauri; Luca Maria Sconfienza; Lorenzo Carlo Pescatori; Maria Paola Fedeli; Marco Alì; Giovanni Di Leo; Francesco Sardanelli Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2017-01-03 Impact factor: 5.315
Authors: V Suzanne Klimberg; Cristiano Boneti; Laura L Adkins; Maureen Smith; Eric Siegel; Vladimir Zharov; Scott Ferguson; Ronda Henry-Tillman; Brian Badgwell; Soheila Korourian Journal: Ann Surg Oncol Date: 2011-09-09 Impact factor: 5.344