Interstitial Laser Therapy:

For fibroadenomas, a minimally invasive alternative to surgical excision has been introduced by Dr. Dowlat. Laser ablation is administered to the fibroadenoma with stereotactic image guidance.

Increasing number of small, early-staged breast
cancers are detected by screening mammography. Diagnosis and determination of the prognostic factors are made by either ultrasound or stereotactically guided needle biopsy. Less invasive treatments employing newer technologies are on the horizon. Utilizing the precision of stereotactic technique for reaching small breast cancers, Dr. Dowlat conceived the treatment of such tumors with a laser beam delivered through a needle. The concept, based on devitalizing the cancer within the breast and its clearance by the body immune system, was extensively tested in the laboratory before applying it to patients. The safety and effectiveness of this technique was reported in 54 patients (ref. 8) with early breast cancer whose laser treated tumors were surgically removed for pathological examination. The group at Rush has moved to the next phase of treating patients with breast cancers smaller than ½ inch in diameter with laser under strict research protocol. Six of seven patients on close follow-up show no evidence of cancer recurrence from 1-4 years (ref. 9). In one patient a tiny residual cancer, due to cooling effect of a blood vessel, was identified within a month and was treated with lumpectomy.

Minimally invasive percutaneous treatment of breast cancer (fig. E) has been achieved on the stereotactic table (fig. F) without the need of surgical intervention (fig. G).