Ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an effective treatment option or early stage breast cancer and outperforms lumpectomy in terms of obtaining tumor-free margins, according to a new study published in Radiology.
The authors studied data from 40 women with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast measuring 2 cm or smaller. Twenty of the women were treated with RFA followed by lumpectomy, and the other 20 were treated with lumpectomy alone.
Overall, RFA resulted in free margins in 80 percent of patients. Lumpectomy alone resulted in free margins in 45 percent of patients.
“Margin status is one of the most important factors that influences outcomes,” wrote author Amparo García-Tejedor, MD, of Bellvitge University Hospital in Barcelona, and colleagues. "Margin status after resection may help predict the risk of local recurrences of breast cancer. Our underlying hypothesis was that RFA could provide tumor-free margins in a manner equal or superior to lumpectomy provided that a large ablation that correctly encompasses the tumor is performed. Our preliminary results confirmed this hypothesis.”
The authors did that local adverse effects after surgery occurred with 40 percent of patients from the RFA group and just 5 percent of patients from the lumpectomy alone group. Breast inflammation following surgery occurred in 25 percent of RFA patients from the RFA group, though the inflammation “was not clinically significant.” Also, three RFA patients experienced local breast infection.
“Future studies should consider avoiding immediate surgery after RFA and breast irradiation,” the authors wrote. “Some investigators administered oral prophylactic antibiotic therapy for five days after the procedure, which could theoretically also prevent infection.”
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.