Cancer Treatment: Forget Chemo, New 'Cryo-Kill' Therapy Freezes Cancer to Death in India

Is the pain of chemotherapy and radiation a thing of the past? A revolutionary new treatment called 'Cryoablation' or 'Cryotherapy' is here. This method literally freezes cancer cells to death at temperatures between -140 and -190 degrees Celsius.

Cancer Treatment: The word 'cancer' itself is scary, but the side effects of chemotherapy are even more terrifying. Hair loss, vomiting, weakness – it's a painful journey. But now, medical science has a new weapon to help patients escape this ordeal. It's called 'Cryoablation' or 'Cryotherapy'. Simply put, cancer cells are frozen solid and killed.

This might sound like something from a sci-fi movie, but after making its mark in America and Europe, this therapy has now started in major Indian hospitals. It's already being used successfully at Tata Memorial, AIIMS, Apollo, and Fortis.

What is Cryoablation? How does it work?

'Cryo' means cold, and 'ablation' means to destroy. In this procedure, doctors use a CT scan or ultrasound to guide a thin, needle-like tool called a 'cryoprobe' right into the centre of the tumour.

They then pass argon gas or liquid nitrogen through this probe. The temperature instantly drops to between -140 and -190 degrees Celsius. This extreme cold turns the water inside the tumour cells into ice. These ice crystals break the cell walls and cut off the blood supply. Within 10-15 minutes, the cancer cells die.

After this, helium gas is sent through the probe to thaw the area. This freeze-thaw cycle is done twice to make sure not a single cancer cell survives. The body then naturally absorbs the dead cells over time.

How is it better than chemo and radiation? Here are 5 big advantages:

1. No major surgery: The whole thing is done through a tiny 2-3 mm hole. No stitches are needed. That's why it's called 'minimally invasive'.

2. Less pain: It's done with just local anaesthesia. The patient is awake and can even talk. They can go home within 24 hours.

3. No side effects: Unlike chemo, there's no hair loss, vomiting, or drop in immunity. This is because only the tumour cells are killed, leaving healthy cells nearby unharmed.

4. Can be repeated: If the tumour comes back, this therapy can be used again. Radiation has dose limits, but this doesn't.

5. Lower cost: One or two sittings of cryotherapy cost much less than 6-8 cycles of chemo. In India, the cost is between ₹80,000 and ₹2 lakh.

Which cancers does it work on?

1. Liver Cancer: It's showing great success in small tumours that can't be operated on. Tumours up to 3 cm are completely destroyed in 90% of cases.

2. Kidney Cancer: The tumour is killed while saving the kidney. Patients can avoid a lifetime of dialysis.

3. Lung Cancer: It's an alternative to surgery if caught in the early stages, and a blessing for elderly patients.

4. Prostate & Breast Cancer: It's used for small tumours or when hormone therapy fails. In breast cancer, the shape of the breast is not affected.

5. Bone Cancer: It is also used as palliative care to reduce pain.

What are the limitations?

This won't work for every cancer. It's risky if the tumour is bigger than 5 cm, if there are too many of them, or if they are attached to major blood vessels. It also doesn't work on blood cancers like leukaemia. A team of surgeons, radiologists, and oncologists will decide who is a suitable candidate for this therapy.

What does the future hold?

Researchers say cryotherapy doesn't just kill the tumour. The dead cancer cells release antigens that 'train' the body's immune system. This helps the body recognise and kill any remaining cancer cells on its own. This is being called 'cryo-immunotherapy'. If this is combined with other treatments in the future, winning the fight against cancer might no longer be just a dream.

This ice-cold technology is working with a cool head in the fight against cancer. Less cost, less pain, and more success. Oncologists believe that in the next 5 years, this could become the 'first-line treatment'.