Formosanin C promotes the curative efficacy of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation in a mouse model of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the leading cause of tumor-associated death among women worldwide, and new therapeutic strategies are required to improve the post-surgery prognosis and quality of life of patients. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a less invasive approach compared with traditional surgical resection to treat malignancies, and the combination of RFA and chemotherapeutic agents, including formosanin C (FC), can synergistically improve the curative effects against breast carcinoma. However, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, nude mice were used to identify the influence of FC on the therapeutic efficacy of RFA for breast cancer. Flow cytometry was performed to demonstrate the proportional alteration of CD8(+) and CD45(+) T cells with different biomarkers, including CD107a, IFNγ and TNFα. It was demonstrated that FC enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of RFA in breast cancer, while RFA combined with FC improved the proportion of IFNγ(+) and TNFα(+) CD8(+) T cells and CD107a(+) CD8(+) T cells in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, thus increasing the immune responses caused by surgery and chemotherapy. The present study indicated that FC may promote the curative efficacy of ultrasound-guided RFA against breast tumor by regulating adaptive immune responses.