Purpose: To evaluate the results of radiofrequency ablation in treating hepatic metastases from breast cancer.
Materials and methods: Fourteen breast cancer patients with 16 hepatic metastases measuring 1.1 to 4.0 cm in the longest axis (mean, 1.9 cm) were prospectively studied. All patients had previously received chemotherapy. Radiofrequency ablation was done using 17-G, internally cooled electrodes under ultrasound guidance. A single index tumor was treated in 12 patients, and two tumors each were treated in two patients. Follow-up was done using serial computed tomography for a duration ranging from 6 to 45 months (mean, 18 months; median, 16 months).
Results: All patients were treated in a single session. No major complications occurred. Minor complications or side effects (asymptomatic pleural effusion, perihepatic fluid collection) were observed in three patients. Complete necrosis, defined as an absence of detectable disease on computed tomography at 6 months follow-up was achieved in 14 (88%) of 16 index tumors. Treatment failure due to the development of new metastases was observed in seven (50%) of 14 patients. Five (36%) patients died in the first 12 months after radiofrequency ablation due to the development of new hepatic and extrahepatic metastases. At the time of writing, nine (64%) of 14 patients are alive, of whom four patients (29%) are disease-free and three patients (21%) are progression-free.
Conclusions: A high overall treatment failure rate (50%) was observed due to the development of new metastases on follow-up. Despite this, radiofrequency ablation appears to be a safe and effective adjunct to systemic chemotherapy for the loco-regional treatment of liver metastases from breast cancer.