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Cryoablation could provide alternative to surgery in breast cancer patients

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ORLANDO, Fla. – The use of cryoablation therapy could offer patients a less-invasive treatment option to surgery, according to data from various studies presented yesterday at the 25th Annual Miami Breast Cancer Conference.

“I think it is optimistic that we are going to potentially be using cryoablation in the future for our patients who present with very tiny tumors who can have a completely office-based procedure and go home from the procedure with only a Band-Aid on a small incision,” said Rache Simmons, MD, associate professor of surgical oncology at Joan and Sanford Weill Medical College, Cornell University.

In addition, cryoablation therapy could decrease patient discomfort during tumor resection and in the postoperative setting, and could provide diminished long-term physical change to the breast.

During her presentation, Simmons said an upcoming trial is planned, based on an earlier trial of 27 T1 invasive breast cancer patients. This planned trial will test the findings of other studies that revealed resolution of metastatic breast cancer in mice when primary tumors were ablated.

“We do not know exactly why resolution of metastatic disease occurred in the mice and there may be some sort of immunological response occurring that is specific to the cryoablation process that may act as a tumor vaccine,” Simmons said. – by Paul Burress

For more information:

• Simmons R. Update on cryoablation and other ablative techniques. Presented at: 25th Annual Miami Breast Cancer Conference; Feb. 20-23, 2008; Orlando, Fla.

Cryoablation could become an important way of managing breast cancer as the size of tumors at presentation continues to decrease with widespread use of mammography and the increasing use of MRI. Cryoablation is still an experimental approach and it is currently approved for the management of benign conditions. I would not perform the procedure currently in a patient with an invasive breast cancer until the studies are completed to show safety and efficacy.

– Eleftherios Mamounas, MD

Associate Professor of Surgery, Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine, Rootstown, Ohio