Clinical pilot studies on pre-operative hyperthermic tumour ablation for advanced breast carcinoma using an 8 MHz radiofrequency heating device.
The multimodality treatment approach for advanced breast cancer provides survival advantages with decreased locoregional and distant recurrences, but these intensive anti-tumour treatments cause severe myelosuppression. Thus, in this study, the usefulness of pre-operative anti-tumour treatment without myelosuppression was investigated. Nine patients with advanced breast carcinoma underwent pre-operative hyperthermic tumour ablation (HTA) using an 8 MHz radiofrequency (RF) heating device (Thermotron RF-8) combined with a grounded needle electrode. The patients had a mean age of 58.3+/-13.9 years and included four patients with stage IIIA, two with stage IIIB and three with stage IV cancer. The target temperature was over 50 degrees C. They tolerated pre-operative HTA therapy well with no early or late complications. The initial mean tumour size was 122.1+/-71.5 cm3 and the post-HTA tumour size was 82.2+/-63.4 cm3; the reduction rate was significant (p = 0.000 293). After the pre-operative HTA, all patients underwent surgery with Level III nodal extirpation. Post-operatively, no locoregional recurrence was observed. Microscopic examination of the primary focus showed complete coagulation necrosis expanding for a diameter of 3.5-5.0 cm. Taken together, the pre-operative HTA was a safe, well-tolerated and effective treatment, achieving tumour reduction as well as complete coagulation necrosis that resulted in a large volume of destruction in breast cancer tissue.
Fujimoto
S
S
Department of Surgery, Social Insurance Funabashi Central Hospital, 6-13-10, Kaijin, Funabashi 273-8556, Japan.
Kobayashi
K
K
Takahashi
M
M
Nemoto
K
K
Yamamoto
I
I
Mutou
T
T
Toyasawa
T
T
Ashida
T
T
Hayashi
S
S
Igarashi
N
N
Ohkubo
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy*; D004566:Electrodes; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome