title: Breast cryoablation in patients with bone metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess retrospectively the safety and feasibility of palliative breast cryoablation to treat primary breast tumors in patients with stage IV breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 17 female patients (mean age ± SD, 59 y ± 13; range, 37-81 y) with 22 bone metastatic ductal invasive breast lesions (2.5 cm × 1.6 cm ± 1.4 × 1.1; range, 1.0 cm × 0.5 cm to 6.7 cm × 5.5 cm), 19 computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous cryoablation sessions were performed for treatment of primary breast tumors. All patients had radiologic evidence (contrast-enhanced CT or magnetic resonance imaging) of persistence or progression of the primary breast cancer despite systemic therapy. The radiologic outcome was evaluated with a mean follow-up period of 13 months (range, 3-31 mo). Treatment of skeletal metastases was unnecessary during the follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All of the cryoablation sessions were completed and well tolerated. Complete regression of the disease was achieved in 15 (88%) patients 2 months after the cryoablation. Two (12%) patients underwent a second cryoablation treatment because of a minimal persistence of viable tumor (residual disease). No relapse of primary tumors was observed on breast imaging during the follow-up period. One patient (6%) developed a new lesion localized to the contralateral breast.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that palliative cryoablation of primary advanced breast cancer is a well-tolerated, feasible, and effective treatment option. Given the palliative effects of breast cryoablation demonstrated in this series, larger studies replicating these results are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Division of Interventional Radiology, Ocological Hospital "A. Businco," Regional Referral Center for Oncologic Diseases, Cagliari 09100, Italy. Electronic address: clapusceddu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pusceddu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Radiology, Ocological Hospital "A. Businco," Regional Referral Center for Oncologic Diseases, Cagliari 09100, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sotgia
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Radiology, Ocological Hospital "A. Businco," Regional Referral Center for Oncologic Diseases, Cagliari 09100, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amucano
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Radiology, Ocological Hospital "A. Businco," Regional Referral Center for Oncologic Diseases, Cagliari 09100, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fele
authors.affiliation: Complex Operative Unit of Radiology, Institute of Radiological Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pilleri
authors.affiliation: Complex Operative Unit of Radiology, Institute of Radiological Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Radiology, Ocological Hospital "A. Businco," Regional Referral Center for Oncologic Diseases, Cagliari 09100, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Melis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010166:Palliative Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome