Doctors at Istanbul University's Oncology Institute have successfully treated four breast cancer patients without surgery using cryoablation, a minimally invasive technique that destroys tumors by freezing them.
The patients were discharged on the same day after undergoing the procedure, which specialists describe as a promising alternative for selected individuals with early-stage breast cancer.
Cryoablation involves inserting a thin needle into the tumor under local anesthesia and cooling the cancerous tissue to temperatures as low as minus 170 degrees Celsius (minus 274 degrees Fahrenheit). The extreme cold destroys targeted cancer cells without the need for conventional surgery or general anesthesia.
The treatment is generally offered to patients over the age of 60 with early-stage breast cancer and tumors smaller than 1.5 centimeters, particularly those who are unable or unwilling to undergo surgery.
Dr. Inci Kızıldağ Yırgın, who led the procedures at the institute's radiology department, said the technique offers several advantages over traditional surgery, including the preservation of breast tissue, the absence of surgical scars and a faster return to normal daily activities.
