April 5, 2024 – A brand new technique that freezes and destroys small cancerous tumors could offer latest hope to women with breast cancer who cannot undergo surgery.
During cryoablation, tumors are positioned using ultrasound or computed tomography (CT). Small, needle-like probes are then inserted into the breast to form a ball of ice across the tumors, killing the cancer cells. say doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
The study involved 60 patients who were ineligible for surgery or who declined surgery after meeting with a breast surgeon because they were old, had heart problems, had hypertension or were receiving chemotherapy for an additional cancer.
The size of the tumors ranged from 0.3 to 9 centimeters, with a mean size of two.5 centimeters. Multiple probes were used for tumors larger than 1.4 centimeters. Sixteen months later, the reoccurrence rate was 10%, in keeping with the study.
“For patients with larger tumors but who cannot undergo surgery, this approach may be more effective than the current standard of care for patients who are not candidates for surgery,” said Dr. Yolanda Bryce, interventional radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. said in a press release. “If the tumors are treated only with radiation and hormone therapy, they will eventually return. So the fact that we only saw a 10% recurrence rate in our study is incredibly promising.”
“Surgery is still the best option for tumor removal, but there are thousands of women who cannot undergo surgery for various reasons,” Bryce said. “We are optimistic that this can give more women hope in their treatment journey.”
Bryce told Fox News that the most important risk of the procedure is “skin freezer burn,” which will be treated with a skin ointment and pain relief.
The doctors recently presented the outcomes of their research on the annual scientific meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology in Salt Lake City.