Percutaneous cryoablation of liver metastases from breast cancer: initial experience in 17 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of percutaneous cryoablation for the treatment of liver metastases from breast cancer.


METHODS
This study included 39 liver metastases in 17 female breast cancer patients who underwent computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous cryoablation. The mean age of the cohort was 55 years (range 30-66 years). The tumour response was evaluated by CT performed before treatment, 1 month after treatment, and every 3 months thereafter. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used to assess the patients' quality of life before, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after cryoablation. The primary endpoints were technique effectiveness, quality of life, and complications.


RESULTS
The technical success rate was 92% with no major complication reported. At the 1-month follow-up, the primary technique effectiveness was 87.1% (34 of 39 tumours). At the 3-months follow-up, local tumour progression was observed in six of 39 lesions (15.4%). The 1-year survival from the time of cryoablation was 70.6%. The quality of life symptoms and functioning scales were preserved in patients alive at 3 months after cryoablation. The global quality of life, mean value of "pain" and "fatigue" between 3 months after cryoablation and prior to treatment showed statistically significant differences, but no clinical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Cryoablation is a safe and effective ablative therapy, providing a high rate of local tumour control in breast cancer liver metastases.
Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, People's Republic of China.
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W
Zhang
Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, People's Republic of China.
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H
Yu
Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: guozh1955@163.com.
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Z
Guo
Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, People's Republic of China.
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B
Li
Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, People's Republic of China.
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T
Si
Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, People's Republic of China.
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X
Yang
Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, People's Republic of China.
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H
Wang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome