Challenging the Skin Barrier: Intermediate-Term Success of Cryoablation for Superficial Invasive Mucinous Breast Cancer
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: We present a case of an 88-year-old woman with significant comorbidities, diagnosed with a 2.2 cm invasive mucinous breast carcinoma located directly beneath the skin without an intervening fat plane. Given her high surgical risk, the patient underwent percutaneous cryoablation instead of wide excision surgery. Real-time ultrasound-guided hydrodissection was used to create a protective plane between the tumor and dermis, displacing the lesion 10 mm away from the skin. Controlled freeze-thaw cycles were performed using a 13G IceCure probe, ensuring complete ablation while minimizing skin injury. The procedure was well tolerated with no complications. Serial follow-up imaging for three years demonstrated a progressive reduction in lesion size, evolving into a subcentimeter scar-like region. The patient remained asymptomatic with no recurrence. This case underscores cryoablation as a viable, minimally invasive alternative to surgery, even for patients with challenging tumor locations, advocating for broader adoption in selected elderly or high-risk patients.
Source: Cureus
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.95014
Authors: Karen Fernandes, Haiyuan Shi, Yert Li Melissa Seet
Institution: Changi General Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4415388154