New cryoablation treatment freezes breast cancer tumors

Researchers at the Society of Interventional Radiation’s Annual Scientific Meeting discussed a treatment that could freeze and destroy metastatic breast cancer tumors. Percutaneous cryoablation involves the use of tiny probes inserted with a catheter through a small incision in the skin, which is then guided to the tumors. Pressurized argon gas is applied, turning the tumors into balls of ice and killing them. The process is guided by medical imaging such as CT scan or ultrasound, which can distinguish the frozen tumors from live ones due to their densities. “Cryoablation as a targeted therapy is beneficial because it can significantly reduce discomfort and incidence of disease,” said Peter J. Littrup, one of the researchers. “It’s a much better option, we think, than surgery, especially since many metastatic patients are not candidates for surgery, and it may potentially lead to longer survival if it coincides with more data concerning primary metastases in other regions of the body.”