Frequently asked questions

Cryoablation, also called cryotherapy or cryosurgery, is a form of treatment that uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy cancerous cells and some benign tumors with extreme accuracy. The procedure can be used to treat tumors located in or around a variety of organs and areas, including the liver, kidneys, breasts, bones, prostate, cervix, and lungs. Cryotherapy can also be very useful to treat focal causes of pain.

Cryoablation uses imaging guidance to help guide a thin needle called a cryoprobe that injects liquid nitrogen or argon gas to create the intense cold. Interventional Radiologists use image-guidance methods such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI to help guide the cryoprobe to specific sites of treatment located inside the body to kill harmful tissues.

During cryoablation, the cryoprobe is inserted directly into a cancerous tumor, then nitrogen or argon gas enters through the cryoprobe to freeze the tissue. After this, the tumor is given time to thaw. The entire process is repeated a few times during each session. This alternate freezing and warming causes damage to the membrane of the cancerous cells, thereby killing it.

Cryoablation can be a beneficial alternative to more invasive, traditional surgical procedures used to treat the same type of tumours. Because cryoablation is less invasive, the recovery time is often significantly shorter than traditional surgeries. There is less chance of infection, there is less pain and almost no scars. This process can also be repeated if necessary.

Depending on a number of factors, including the size of the tumor and the area being treated, cryoablation takes around 2-3 hours in total.

Cryotherapy can be safely combined with other forms of cancer treatment like chemotherapy or surgery. It is sometimes used after radiation therapy for painful bone lesions. In fact, there is emerging evidence that cryotherapy and immunotherapy may potentiate each other’s effects to treat cancer - something called the abscopal effect.

Fibroadenoma is the most common solid non-cancerous tumor of the breast, sometimes causing a lump and pain. Though these tumours are found in women of all ages, symptoms are most commonly seen in younger women and around 50% seek treatment due to growth, discomfort or anxiety. What tests are done to evaluate a breast lump like a fibroadenoma? • Mammography. Mammography uses X-rays to produce an image (mammogram) of suspicious areas in your breast tissue. A fibroadenoma might appear on a mammogram as a breast mass with smooth, round edges, distinct from surrounding breast tissue. • Breast ultrasound. Your doctor might recommend a breast ultrasound in addition to a mammogram to evaluate a breast lump if you have dense breast tissue.or an ultrasound only if you are less than 30 years old. Fibroadenomas can often be diagnosed with confidence on ultrasound • Fine-needle aspiration. A very thin needle is inserted into the breast lump under ultrasound guidance to evaluate the contents of the lump and ensure that it is not cancerous • Core needle biopsy. A radiologist uses a needle to collect tissue samples from the lump under ultrasound guidance, which goes to a lab for analysis.

Wait and watch Fibroadenomas do not turn into cancers. If causing no or minimal symptoms, they can be observed over serial ultrasound examinations. Occasionally a thin needle biopsy will be performed to confirm that it is benign Surgery Fibroadenomas are most often removed surgically. This procedure is performed in the operating room and includes surgically removing the fibroadenoma and stitching the incision. Depending on the size of the fibroadenoma and the location in the breast, healing may result in an indentation or change in the shape and size of the breast. In addition, the size of the scar on the skin will vary depending on the size of the fibroadenoma. Cryotherapy or cryoablation – is an FDA-approved treatment for fibroadenomas and is an alternative to open surgery. It uses extreme cold to eliminate tumorous tissue. Women with one or more fibroadenoma tumours, measuring 4 cm or less in the largest dimension, benefit from the procedure.

Breast cryotherapy for fibroadenoma is considered a comfortable procedure, with cold acting as a natural pain reliever. No general anesthesia or post-procedure prescription pain medicine is needed. Because there is no tissue removal, patients should expect a speedy recovery. The procedure preserves breast volume and minimizes risk of bleeding or infection. The fibroadenoma reduces in size and feel over time. Cryotherapy can be safely repeated for multiple tumors with no change in breast appearance.