Overview

Cryotherapy, or cryoablation, is a cancer treatment that uses very cold temperatures to kill cancerous or abnormal cells. It is not very invasive. The process involves putting a thin probe into the tumour and using things like liquid nitrogen or argon gas to lower the temperature very low. The freezing process forms ice crystals inside cancer cells, which disrupt their structure and kill them. People often use cryotherapy to treat tumours in the prostate, liver, kidney, skin, cervix, and some bone lesions. It can be used as the main treatment for small tumours or to ease symptoms in people with advanced disease.

Why It's Done?
Cryotherapy is used to remove tumours in a specific area while sparing the healthy tissue around them. It is especially helpful for people who aren't good candidates for major surgery or who would rather avoid surgery altogether. In some cancers, treatment may help slow tumour growth, ease pain, or prevent the cancer from getting worse. Its precise and targeted approach reduces damage to nearby structures.

What to Expect?
Patients have imaging tests such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI performed before cryotherapy to determine the size and exact location of the tumour. Blood tests check your overall health and how well your blood clots. The procedure is usually done with local anaesthesia and sedation, but it can also be done with general anesthesia depending on where the tumour is. During treatment, one or more cryoprobes are inserted through the skin into the tumour using imaging guidance. The probe emits very cold gas, which freezes the cancer cells. To ensure the tumour is completely destroyed, it may need to undergo several freeze-thaw cycles. The process usually takes one to two hours. After that, patients are monitored for signs of swelling or pain before they are sent home.

Recovery & Outlook
Most of the time, recovery is quick, and there is only mild pain or swelling at the treatment site. Most patients can go back to their normal activities in a few days. Cryotherapy is a good way to control tumours in some cases because it has fewer problems than traditional surgery.