The aim of our study is to examine the cryoimmunologic response and its mechanisms induced by US-guided cryoablation of small breast tumors (
At least 10 days after surgery the patient will undergo clinical breast examination, blood test to assess immune response and patient satisfaction questionnaire.
Cryoablation treatment will be performed using a 14G cryoprobe under us-guidance for visualization of the ice ball surrounding the lesion. The ultrasound guide is used to ensure that the action affects the entire tumor and that therapeutic temperatures are reached in every part of the tumor.
Pre- and post- cryoablation breast MRI will be performed on a 3T magnet to assess cryoablation rate of success. Artificial intelligence algorithms will also be used for this purpose. Cryoablation treatment efficacy will also be evaluated with ultrasound.
The immunological fitness of cancer patients will be studied by flow cytometry, evaluating the presence of cytokines/chemokines relevant during anticancer immune response/tumor progression and for the presence of molecules released by cells during an immunogenic cell death.
The goal of our study will be to demonstrate that cryoablation of breast cancer can induce an antitumor immune response. Therefore this approach could become an additional tool in the oncological treatment of breast cancer.
