Breast Masses

Ablation in Breast Masses

Breast masses are quite common in women. Most of these are benign. Breast cancers are also seen in 1/8 of women. Clinical examination is the basis for early detection of masses. Regular ultrasonography should be performed before the age of 40 and ultrasonography + mammography scans should be performed at regular intervals after the age of 40. Magnetic resonance imaging can also be performed if necessary. Biopsy may be required in suspicious cases after imaging studies.

In addition to surgery, ablation treatments are also used in the treatment of many benign and malignant breast masses.

Fibrocystic disease: This condition shows more of a breast structure. No surgical or interventional radiologic treatment is performed.

Breast cysts: Most women can have breast cysts. As long as they are small, they do not need to be treated. If they are large and cause breast deformity or pain, alcohol ablation can be performed. In this method, the cyst content is first drained with a syringe. Then pure alcohol is injected into the cyst, left for about 10 minutes and drained again. Alcohol reduces the risk of cyst recurrence.

Fibroadenomas are the most common benign tumors in the breast in women aged 20-40. They are usually painless, palpable, well-circumscribed, mobile and soft masses. These lesions have no cancer risk. If they are large in size, they can be treated at the patient's request. Cryoablation or microwave methods are suitable ablation options for treatment. In these methods, no incision is made in the breast. The treatment is usually completed in less than 30 minutes under local anesthesia and the patient can return to normal life on the same day. During the follow-up period after the treatment, the mass disappears completely or a very small residue remains. Ablation treatments are advantageous compared to surgery as there will be no deformity in the breast and no shrinkage of the skin.

Breast cancers: In recent years, ablation treatments have been increasingly used in the treatment of early-stage breast cancers. Currently, the application of ablation in breast cancers is limited to infiltrative ductal cancers smaller than 2 cm, without invasion outside the breast and with hormone receptors (+). In addition, ablation treatment alone does not provide complete cure in breast cancers. The patient should be under the follow-up of an oncologist and chemotherapy and radiotherapy should be added to the treatment.