Researchers studied a procedure called cryoablation for women with a specific type of early-stage breast cancer. Cryoablation uses extreme cold to destroy tumors instead of surgically removing them. The study included 83 women aged 50 or older who had small, hormone-positive, HER2-negative breast cancers that had not spread to lymph nodes. All participants received the cryoablation treatment and were followed for a median of just over six years.
The main finding was that the five-year rate of cancer returning in the same breast was 3.64%. The rate of being free from invasive cancer recurrence was 97.59%. Importantly, a biopsy taken six months after treatment showed no remaining cancer in 82 out of 83 women. No serious side effects from the procedure were reported.
It is crucial to understand this was a phase 2 study, which means it is still early research. There was no comparison group receiving standard lumpectomy surgery, so we cannot say if cryoablation works as well. The results apply only to women with the very specific cancer type described in the study. Longer follow-up is also needed to see if results hold beyond six years.
Readers should see this as encouraging news that supports continuing to research cryoablation as a potential, less invasive option. It is not yet a proven alternative to surgery. Women with breast cancer should discuss all treatment options, including standard therapies, with their oncology team.
