Background: Cryoablation is a safe and effective treatment for benign breast tumors such as fibroadenomas. The efficacy of cryoablation in the treatment of malignant breast disease is also documented in the literature. In all but one published case, cryoablation in breast cancer has been followed by post procedural tumor resection.

Methods: We present the case of an 85 year-old female with two <1.0 cm invasive ductal carcinomas that were treated with ultrasound-guided cryoablation. No radiation therapy, chemotherapy or chemoprevention therapy was given. These two tumors were not resected. The natural evolution of the tumors is demonstrated with 12 months of ultrasound and mammographic follow-up. To the best of our knowledge, these changes have never before been shown in breast cancer.

Results: Both tumors were successfully cryoablated. The post-treatment mammograms and ultrasounds demonstrate changes similar to those described in cryoablated fibroadenomas. Mammograms show gradual lesion resorption, with decreasing density and no calcifications. Ultrasonic images reveal ill-defined oval accumulations of hypoechoic debris. The patient had an excellent cosmetic result, with no volume reduction in her breast. She is without known disease at this time.

Conclusions: Many questions remain unanswered regarding the use of cryoablation in breast cancer. However, this case report supports the findings already in the literature regarding the safety and efficacy of cryoablation in small tumors. Our findings make a new and exciting contribution to the study of cryoablation in breast malignancies by demonstrating, for the first time, the evoluation of post-treatment changes without resection.