Extracorporeal High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Treatment for Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of using high-Intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy, for breast cancer, and to select the appropriate methods in evaluating the therapeutic effects.

METHODS A total of 24 patients with breast cancer underwent HIFU treatment 1-2 weeks before receiving modified radical mastectomy. During and after HIFU therapy, changes In blood pressure, breath, pulse and peripheral blood oxygen saturation were monitored. At the same time, the damage of the skin and tissue produced by HIFU at the target region was evaluated as well. Surgically excised samples were used for pathological examinations to evaluate the HIFU-Induced destruction of the targeted tissue. Three patients received ^99mTc-ECT and 1 MRI examinations before and after HIFU.

RESULTS HIFU treatment had no apparent influence on either the tissue nearby the target or on vital signs of the patients. Pathological, ^99mTc-ECT and MRI examinations demonstrated that targeted tissue showed complete coagulative necrosis.

CONCLUSION Under the guidance of real-time ultrasonic imaging, HIFU can effectively and safely destroy the breast cancer mass and ^99mTc-ECT and MRI examination can be utilized to evaluate the therapeutic effects. HIFU may become one of the options for breast cancer therapy in the future.