631 - Early Experience with Pulsed Electric Field Ablation of Breast Cancer: Evaluation of Pathology and Imaging Response

Monday, April 13, 2026

12:10 PM - 1:10 PM ET

Poster Presenter(s)

TL

Trent J. Levy

Medical Student
University of Pennsylvania, United States

Author/Co-author(s)

AM

Aanand Mehta

Research Assistant
Department of Radiology, Pennsylvania Hospital, University of Pennsylvania, United States
RW

Richard Wu, MD

Resident
University of Pennsylvania, United States
BE

Brian S. Englander, MD

Chair, Radiology, Pennsylvania Hospital
Penn Medicine, United States

Purpose: Pulsed electric field (PEF) ablation uses high-voltage, short-duration electric pulses to induce irreversible electroporation and cell death while preserving surrounding connective tissue. This has been used in several oncologic applications outside of breast cancer. This small, single-center experience aims to provide preliminary evidence on the feasibility, safety, and early clinical outcomes of PEF as a novel locoregional therapy for breast cancer.

Materials and Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed for five patients with a diagnosis of T1 breast cancer who underwent PEF ablation using the Aliya PEF System (Galvanize Therapeutics, Redwood, CA). Data were gathered on procedural tolerability, peri-procedural complications, and short-term oncologic control, based on comparison of pre-and post-operative imaging at the three-month interval. 

Results: PEF ablation was well-tolerated; no major adverse events were recorded. Mean initial size of the target lesions was 0.961 cm3 (standard deviation ± 0.683 cm3). Two patients exhibited 100% tumor volume reduction with adjunct systemic therapy, one patient demonstrated 40% tumor volume reduction with no adjunct systemic therapy, and two patients did not receive post-op imaging due to placement on hospice or subsequent death for reasons unrelated to breast cancer.

Conclusion: PEF ablation is feasible and well-tolerated with no immediate major procedural complications. Available three-month outcomes varied but demonstrated a positive response, suggesting potential as a safe, locoregional treatment for small breast cancers. Limitations include the retrospective design, small sample size, incomplete follow-up, and confounding from systemic therapy. Future prospective, controlled, and adequately powered studies would aid in further evaluating this novel use of PEF ablation.