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Doctors in Arkansas have completed a preliminary trial on a new technique that used a combination of lasers and high-tech imaging to destroy some cancerous breast tumors. For women with some early to middle stages of breast cancer, this treatment appears "very promising," according to lead researcher, Steven Harms, MD, professor of radiology and director of Imaging Research at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
"Because we don’t make an incision, there is no scar and virtually no evidence of surgery," he said. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis. Recovery time is minimal compared to painful and more expensive lumpectomies and mastectomies.
How It Works The technique under development combines interactive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the use of lasers to burn and destroy the tumor. The MRI used in this technique uses software different from the MRI used to diagnose other internal problems such as a ruptured disk, for example. The software adaptation used to "see" the breast tumors is known as RODEO MRI (Rotating Delivery of Excitation Off-resonance).
The RODEO MRI illuminates the breast tissue, allowing the doctor to place a needle directly into the tumor. Once the needle is in, the physician guides a fiber-optic wire through the needle. Heat is applied to the tumor through the fiber-optic wire for about 10 minutes to destroy the tumor. This process is called ablation.
"Prior to ablation, tumors look like bright stars in a dark sky," said Dr. Harms. "The laser heat spreads in a sphere and the image turns dark when the tumor is destroyed." After the procedure, the patient takes a mild pain reliever.
These preliminary results were reported by Dr. Harms at the 84th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago on December 3, 1998.
The Trial Fifteen breast cancer patients participated in this preliminary trial. After the laser lumpectomy, all participants underwent either conventional mastectomy or lumpectomy treatments. A pathological study conducted on the laser lumpectomy zones of the breast concluded that all of the cancerous tissue identified by the MRI was burned by the laser and destroyed.
Preliminary Results One of the participants in this first phase of the trial was Lena Hoffman, 81, of Little Rock, Ark. She reported feeling well after undergoing this treatment. "I cleaned house the next morning," she added.
The benefits of the RODEO MRI laser treatment for patients appear to include:
- No scarring and little evidence of surgery.
- Less expense compared to other surgical options since it is performed on an outpatient basis.
- Recovery time is minimized due to the non-invasive nature of the treatment.
"The results of this particular study are . . . preliminary. Only a small number of women were studied. If the findings can be confirmed in a large group of women, it would be very exciting," said Debbie Saslow, PhD, director of breast and cervical cancer for the American Cancer Society.
Results determining the long-term effectiveness of the treatment may take five to 10 years.
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