Radiofrequency ablation for early-stage breast cancer: treatment outcomes and practical considerations

Abstract

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for early-stage breast cancer has the potential advantage of being a less invasive treatment associated with improved cosmetic outcome. The aim of this review was to summarise the reported treatment outcomes of ultrasound-guided RFA for early-stage breast cancer and to highlight practical considerations with regard to this treatment.

Methods: A search of the English-language literature concerning RFA for breast cancer treatment was performed.

Results: RFA is a technique that can be safely applied in patients with early-stage breast cancer, which is restricted to cT1-T2N0 ductal carcinoma with radiologically defined borders without any signs of multifocality or multicentricity. However, before RFA can be adopted as local therapy for early-stage breast cancer, more research is needed to assess the post-treatment pathological complete response and margin status, the long-term oncologic outcome in comparison to current standard breast conserving therapy and the potential cosmetic superiority of percutaneous RFA.

Conclusion: RFA appeared to be a feasible technique for the treatment of early-stage breast cancer, but considerable practical considerations form an obstacle to introduce RFA as a standard of care.

Keywords: Ablative therapy; Breast cancer; Radiofrequency ablation.