Breast cryoablation in patients with bone metastatic breast cancer

Purpose To assess retrospectively the safety and feasibility of palliative breast cryoablation to treat primary breast tumors in patients with stage IV breast cancer. Materials and 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…