Cryosurgery to Treat Lung Cancer

Less-invasive technique freezes, disintegrates tumors

While surgery is the gold standard of treatment for patients with early stage lung cancer, it isn’t always an option. In some cases, surgery should not be used, because it may be harmful to the patient.

For these patients, the Blount Memorial Cancer Center now offers cryosurgery, a less-invasive technique that basically freezes and ultimately disintegrates tumors. During cryosurgery, a thoracic surgeon reduces the temperature of the diseased tissue down to nearly -200 degrees Celsius (-328 degrees Fahrenheit), destroying the tumor cells. Over the next few months, the tumor disintegrates within the body.

Cryosurgery requires the surgeon to make a small incision in the patient’s chest wall. A probe is inserted through this opening directly onto the tumor in the lung. While an anesthetic is required, the less-invasive technique and relatively short procedure time reduce the risk of complications for patients who are not suitable candidates for lung cancer surgery.

Following the procedure, periodic PET/CT scans of the patient’s lungs are taken to monitor and assess the tumor. When appropriate, cryosurgery is accompanied by chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Cryosurgery treatment goals include alleviating pain, preserving pulmonary function, and improving longevity and quality of life.

Although cryosurgery has been used for several years to treat various tumors, the technique has only recently focused on lung cancer — the No. 1 cancer killer in the United States. Dr. Mark Cooper brought the technique to the Cancer Center in 2007 to help the many people with lung cancer in Blount and surrounding counties for whom surgery is not a viable option.