Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Evaluation of the Feasibility, Safety, and Accuracy of an Intraoperative High-intensity Focused Ultrasound Device for Treating Liver Metastases
Published on: January 9, 2019
Ultrasound-guided laser-induced thermal therapy for small palpable invasive breast carcinomas: a feasibility study
S van Esser1, G Stapper, P J van Diest
1Department of Surgical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. s.vanesser@umcutrecht.nl
Background:
The next step in breast-conserving surgery for small breast carcinomas could be local ablation. In this study, the feasibility of ultrasound-guided laser-induced thermal therapy (LITT) is evaluated.
Methods:
Patients with large-core needle biopsy-proven invasive, palpable breast carcinoma (clinically
Results:
Fourteen patients completed the treatment. The mean histological tumor size was 17 mm (range, 8-37 mm); 6 of 14 tumors were histologically larger than the clinical entry threshold of 2 cm. The power applied in all patients was 7 W, and the mean treatment time was 21.4 min (range, 15-30 min). In one patient, a skin burn occurred, and one patient had a localized pneumothorax that could be treated conservatively. In 7 (50%) of 14 patients, the tumor was completely ablated, as confirmed by nicotinamide adenosine diaphorase staining. In 11 cases, extensive in-situ carcinoma was present. In one case, the in-situ carcinoma was also completely ablated. A total of seven (88%) of eight tumors <2 cm in size were completely ablated versus one (17%) of six tumors that were >or=2 cm in size (P = .026).
Conclusions:
Successful LITT of invasive breast cancer seems to be feasible when confined to small (<2 cm) nonlobular carcinomas without surrounding extensive in-situ component and angioinvasion. However, to implement LITT in a curative setting, improvements in imaging to more reliably preoperatively assess tumor size and monitoring of fiber tip placement and treatment affect are essential.
