In a medical marvel, doctors at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre successfully treated a 32-year-old female patient from Delhi with metastatic breast cancer. The patient was suffering from cancer that had spread to her bones. Upon further diagnosis, it was found that it was also spreading towards the breast. As part of her ongoing treatment, while she was responding well to hormonal therapy for metastatic breast cancer, the diagnosis revealed that there was a tumour in the breast that was not responding to the line of treatment. Looking at her condition and the size of the mass, Dr. Bharat Gupta, Consultant in Interventional Radiology, and his team decided to provide local treatment in the form of cryoablation for the breast lesion.
Cryoablation is a minimally invasive interventional radiology procedure that uses extreme cold temperatures to freeze and kill abnormal cancerous and pre-cancerous cells. The procedure is visualized using imaging guidance such as ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) to safely form an iceball around the cancerous lesion through a thin needle. Cryoablation is a type of therapy that is a less-invasive and less-painful alternative to traditional surgical procedures since it only requires a small, pin-hole-sized incision. It also reduces the chances of acquired infections after the surgery and reduces hospital stays.
Speaking about the treatment Dr. Bharat Gupta, Consultant Interventional Radiology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, said, “Cryoablation has an advantage over other ablation methods. One of the main differences is that the ablation area can be visualized in real-time using CT and ultrasound. In addition, cryoablation is less painful due to the anesthetic effect of ice and can be performed patiently under mild sedation. There is a strong immune response seen that consists of antibody production against tumor-specific antigens that reside in tissues after cryoablation.”
“Due to the patient’s young age and the non-responsive nature of the breast lesion to hormonal therapy cryoablation was the best treatment choice for her. The procedure was done under local anesthesia, and the patient was fit for discharge on the next day of the procedure. This innovative treatment option offers hope for patients seeking an alternative to traditional surgery.” He added.
With its minimally invasive approach, fast recovery times, and comparable cure rates, cryoablation is an increasingly popular treatment option for cancer patients in India. Globally, cryoablation is used to treat cancers like kidney, lung, bone, liver, prostate, and breast.
