Medicine is steadily developing, new methods of oncology treatment are emerging, such as targeted therapy, cryoablation, etc.
The concept of
Cryoablation is an experimental method for treating cancerous tumors. This technique is used to destroy malignant cell structures by freezing them.
Usually, cryoablation is used in those clinical cases where surgical removal of a cancerous tumor is impossible or devoid of efficacy.
Sometimes cryoablation is used as a primary technique in the treatment of prostatic or pulmonary, hepatic or renal cancers, followed by rapid removal of education.
Indications
Cryotherapy refers to minimally invasive methods of cancer treatment. It is applied on specific areas of the body to eliminate external and some internal tumor formations.
Indications for cryoablation can be such tumor processes:
- Retinoblastomy( rare cancer of the retina in children);
- Skin tumors;
- Freckles;
- Precancerous nevi and other unspecified skin lesions;
- Malignant tumors of the heart and liver, cervix and prostate gland, especially those patients who are categorically contraindicated in performing a surgical procedure.
In addition, the cryotherapeutic effect is used in the treatment of the structures of the ferrous and bone, pulmonary and renal structures.
Cardiac cryoablation
Similar therapy is performed to disconnect cardiac cells that are guilty of heart rhythm disturbances or arrhythmia.
After carrying out cryoablation of the heart, its rhythms are usually restored.
The procedure does not cause complications, but there is no risk of speech.
Among the possible complications, doctors call bleeding and painful sensations, heart puncture or attack, blood clots and infections, rhythm abnormalities, etc.
- Before the procedure, the patient must undergo a series of studies such as myocardial EIA, compliance with diet, etc.
- The patient is then injected with anesthesiafor anesthetizing the place of installation of the catheter, which is located in the groin or on the upper part of the thigh, on the wrist or arm.
- The catheter is inserted into the artery and is brought to the vessels in the heart. The whole process is controlled by X-ray equipment.
- When a problem area is detected, it is treated with low temperatures to minus 70 ° C.
The procedure lasts about 3-6 hours, but it does not cause soreness, although some patients notice appreciable discomfort, accompanied by dizziness, chest pains and frequent palpitations.
For the prevention of thrombi is recommended aspirin( about a month).A few days after cryoablation the patient can return to his former life.
Cryodestruction in the prostate
Prostatic cryoablation is moderately effective, but with its conduct a great risk of impotence.
Cryotherapy of the prostate is indicated to patients:
- Young age having small tumors;
- As an emergency therapy for patients unable to tolerate brachytherapy or radiotherapy for prostate cancer;
- In the form of a primary therapeutic technique in those patients who are less important for the preservation of sexual functions. And also for men who are unable to withstand radical prostatectomy, suggesting complete removal of the gland.
Renal
Renal cryodestruction is effective against small formations. The procedure is performed using a laparoscope to which the cryoprobe is attached. With the help of cryotherapy, it is possible to reduce relapses of renal cancer by 15%.
In the area of mammary glands
At present, cryotherapy is used for the treatment of dermatoglycemic fibroadenomas.
These are benign tumor processes that are formed from various tissues. Pathology is typical for patients 15-30 years old. According to statistics, about 10% of women suffer from this disease.
How does the procedure work?
Such treatment is carried out using liquid nitrogen or argon, which is fed into a special cryoprobe.
As a result of this influence, freezing and destruction of malignant cellular structures takes place.
Freezing deprives malignant food malignancies, their trophicity is disrupted.
In the future, the tumor, depending on its size, can be completely removed, and if the formation is shallow, it can dissolve independently.
The entire process is monitored by a tomographic or ultrasonic method. This procedure is quite simple, although it requires a certain professionalism. Errors in calculations are excluded, because the dosages are calculated by digital means.
The difference in procedures for different organs is only in the time of exposure to cellular structures, the temperature of the coolant and the use of additional equipment necessary to work on certain organs.
Advantages and side effects of
The cryoablation procedure is performed only after the patient's consent. This procedure has many advantages.
- The minimum duration of the rehabilitation period. Recovery after cryotherapy is significantly faster than with surgical intervention. The patient is released home in a day or two after the procedure.
- Percutaneous cryoablation is low-risk in comparison with open surgery. In order for the cryoprobe to pass through the skin, a small incision is sufficient. In addition, with such treatment, the likelihood of complications is minimal.
- Minimal degree of soreness. If we compare cryoablation with radioablation, then the latter is much more painful.
- After cryotherapy, there are no such obvious scars of , as after surgical manipulations.
But despite many advantages, cryotherapy of cancerous tumors has its drawbacks.
- Firstly, , the procedure is capable of causing bleeding from punctures and internal organs such as the kidneys, lungs or liver, depending on the site of cryoexposure.
- Secondly , during the cryotherapy, nerves can be damaged, which will lead to violations of innervation, numbness and weakness.
The complications caused by anesthetic drugs are not excluded with this therapy. If the cryoexposure is directed to the area near the diaphragm, then the risk of fluid accumulation in the pulmonary space is great.
In addition, neighboring, healthy structures can be damaged during treatment. In men with cryotherapy of the prostate, irreversible impotence may occur.
The cost of
The cost of treatment of oncopathologies by cryoablation is determined by the stage of the pathological process, the status of the clinic and the country where the treatment is performed.
- Prostate cancer by cryoablation is considered to be a rather expensive procedure of about 5-15 thousand y.e.
- Cryotherapy of pulmonary cancer will cost from 2.5 thousand.e.
- Cervical cancer is 700-3000 y.e.
- The pre-cancer and skin cancer are 300-5000 y.e.
Cryotherapy in some cases is a worthy alternative to other effective methods of anticancer therapy, for example, when it is not possible to surgically remove a tumor.