This systematic review evaluated radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of breast cancer. A systematic literature search in various databases was supplemented by a handsearch.
We identified six prospective (uncontrolled) case series with 206 patients with breast cancer as best available evidence. Concerning efficacy, the overall survival rate was 100% and the recurrence rate was 0% (both outcomes were only assessed in one case series including 29 patients). Cosmetic results were good in 80-97% of the patients. There is a lack of evidence for further efficacy outcomes (breast cancer-specific survival, quality of life). In terms of safety, minor complications like skin or muscle burns occurred in up to one third of patients. There was no RFA-associated mortality.
The quality of evidence is very low due to the uncontrolled study design of the included studies. Overall, the available evidence is insufficient to assess the efficacy and safety of RFA compared to the respective standard therapy for the treatment of breast cancer.