FREEZING BREAST TUMORS
Each year, more than one million women in the United States undergo breast biopsies. In about 80 percent of these cases, the lumps are benign, or non-cancerous. That benign lump causes anxiety in many women. Now, a technique that's making it easier for women to get rid of the lumps -- without surgery.
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Elizabeth Fletcher knows fear is not an option on the court.
But when doctors found a lump in her breast last year, fear became her toughest opponent.
Elizabeth Fletcher
Had benign breast lump
"It is scary. It's probably the scariest thing because you hear breast cancer or lump, you automatically think it's cancer."
Luckily, Elizabeth's tumor was not cancerous, but like many women, she still wanted to get rid of it.
Gauri Bedi, M.D.
Breast Surgeon
Mercy Medical Center
Baltimore, MD
"It's quite amazing how many women, even though they know that the lump that they have is benign, want it out."
Doctor Gauri Bedi says, in most cases, benign breast tumors can be left alone.
Gauri Bedi, M.D.
"We can be 99 percent sure that it is completely benign, but there is still that one to two percent. People don't want that uncertainty."
In the past, doctors had to perform invasive surgery to remove the lump. But now, they can freeze it with a procedure called cryoablation.
Doctors insert a probe into the tumor. Argon gas is passed through the probe to form an ice ball, which destroys the tumor. The body eventually absorbs it.
Gauri Bedi, M.D.
"It's an office-based procedure. They don't have a surgical scar. They don't have to go to the operating room. It's tolerated very well."
Elizabeth can vouch for that.
Elizabeth Fletcher
"I recovered within a day. I was back at work. It's a much better option than surgery."
An option she considers a slam dunk.
The procedure takes about 30 minutes to 45 minutes and can be performed a few weeks after a biopsy. Doctor Bedi says it is especially popular among younger women who tend to have more benign lumps. This technique is also used to freeze liver, prostate and kidney tumors, and researchers are now testing its feasibility on breast tumors that are cancerous.
BACKGROUND: According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1 million women in the United States undergo breast biopsies each year. In about 80 percent of these cases, the breast lumps are benign, or noncancerous.
Even though the tumors are not cancerous, many women opt to have them removed. Gauri Bedi, M.D., from Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, says, "It's quite amazing how many of them, even though they know that the lump they have is benign, want it out." Dr. Bedi says many women don't want the uncertainty that comes with leaving the lump alone. She says, "We can be 99 percent sure that it [the lump] is completely benign, but there is still that 1 to 2 percent. People don't want that uncertainty."
Traditionally, removal of the benign lump required invasive surgery known as a lumpectomy. This procedure can lead to a painful recovery and scarring. Scarring can make future mammograms and breast exams more difficult by obscuring the breast cancer cells.
A NEW OPTION: Now, women who want their benign breast lumps removed can do so without undergoing invasive surgery. Cryoablation -- or freezing -- is a nonsurgical alternative for women with benign breast lumps. Doctors insert a probe into the breast tumor. Argon gas is passed through the probe, which cools it. Then, an ice ball forms and freezes the tumor. The tumor eventually is absorbed by the body.
Cryoablation is an office-based procedure that takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Patients don't have a surgical scar after undergoing cryoablation – only a tiny incision that is usually just a few millimeters. The FDA-approved procedure requires a local anesthetic and is virtually painless. Dr. Bedi says cryoablation is especially popular among younger black women who tend to have more benign lumps.
Another benefit of cryoablation is that doctors can see the ice ball very well under ultrasound. Dr. Bedi says, "So, as the ice ball is forming, you can see the area that is being engulfed to make sure that you've destroyed the entire lesion. If you use radio frequency waves and other modalities, you can't be sure because you can't see exactly what you are destroying."
Researchers are now studying cryoablation's effect on cancerous breast tumors to test its feasibility. It is also currently used to freeze liver, prostate and kidney tumors.
Dan Collins
Media Relations Director
Mercy Medical Center
(410) 332-9714
Copyright © 2004 Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc.
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