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.