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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Thermal Ablation for the Treatment of Abdominal Tumors
Published on: March 7, 2011
Radiofrequency ablation therapy in patients with breast cancers two centimeters or less in size
Shoji Oura1, Takeshi Tamaki, Issei Hirai
1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan. soura@wakayama-med.ac.jp
Background:
Non-surgical ablation is an attractive approach as a local control method for breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the complications and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy for breast cancer.
Methods:
A total of 52 patients with breast cancer were enrolled. The mean tumor size was 1.3 cm (range, 0.5-2.0 cm). Under general anesthesia, RFA was done with a Cool-tip RF system after sentinel node biopsy. All patients received one session of RFA, for a maximum time of 30 minutes for the first 29 patients and 15 minutes for the following 23 patients when so-called 'break', i.e. stopping the delivery of radiofrequency, did not occur. Postoperative cytological evaluation was done 3-4 weeks after operation. Adjuvant therapy consisted of chemo- and/or endocrine-therapy and radiotherapy (50 Gy).
Results:
The mean time of RFA was 12 minutes (5-25 minutes). One patient (2%) was troubled with a skin burn just above the ablated field. No patient had viable cancer cells on post-operative cytological evaluation. No recurrence developed 15 months on the average after RFA (6-30 months). Cosmesis after RFA was excellent in 43 patients (83%), good in 6 (12%), and fair in 3 (6%).
Conclusion:
RFA can be safely used for breast cancer and provides good local control and excellent cosmesis to patients with small breast cancers.
