Radiofrequency Ablation for Breast Cancer Liver Metastases

Survival Outcomes and Prognostic Factors

• Quality-adjusted survival appears improved over no intervention, particularly for smaller tumors (<3 cm), according to the American Academy of Family Physicians 1, 2
• Without any intervention, median survival for breast cancer patients with liver metastases ranges from 3-15 months 3

Patient Selection Criteria and Comparison to Other Treatment Approaches

• The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests that best candidates for RFA include patients with tumor size <3 cm in diameter 1
• Surgical resection of liver metastases is associated with higher survival than RFA for larger tumors, but is often not feasible in many patients, as noted by the American Academy of Family Physicians 1, 2
• RFA may provide better quality-adjusted survival than surgery for smaller tumors (<3 cm), according to the American Academy of Family Physicians 1, 2

Technical Considerations

• Tumor location near major vessels may limit complete ablation and increase risk of local recurrence, as reported in Gastric Cancer 5
• The benefit of cytoreductive procedures like RFA may include immunologic benefits and increased effectiveness of chemotherapy by reducing tumor burden, as noted in the International Journal of Surgery 3, 6