New Breast Cancer Treatment Involving Freezing Could Replace Surgery [Video]

Breast cancer patients who were previously unable to undergo surgery for treatment may soon have another, less invasive option. 

The process, called cryoablation, uses imaging guidance such as ultrasound or a computed tomography (CT) scan to locate tumors, per a press release shared by the Society of Interventional Radiology late last month. 

Once the tumors have been located, a radiologist then inserts small, needle-like probes into the breast to create an ice ball that surrounds the tumor, killing the cancer cells. 

According to the release, tumors can potentially be “100% destroyed” when this option is combined with hormonal therapy and radiation. 

“For patients who have larger tumors but can’t undergo surgery, this approach could be more effective than the current standard of care for patients who are not surgical candidates,” said Yolanda Bryce, M.D., an interventional radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. 

Factors that could …