Cryotherapy/ablation for small tumors

Hi -- I've got a small (and "indolent") tumor for which standard of care is lumpectomy plus radiation plus AI. However, as I've had a great many surgeries in recent years plus earlier lung damage and strongly wanted to avoid both surgery and radiation, DH and I researched and found both clinical trials and some doctors who use the FDA-approved cryoablation for cancerous tumors, with specific requirements, including size, <25%DCIS, etc. The Phase 2 trial showed 100% success in eliminating tumors under 1cm and lesser but still significant success with slightly larger ones.

I have seen a nearby doctor and also talked with one of the trials, and I am going with the treatments as it seems entirely safe. Not only safe, but it leaves all options open -- you still CAN have surgery or radiation or SNL or whatever you like afterwards. The doctor I'm seeing, Dr. Weintritt in Alexandria, uses the FROST trial protocol although he isn't actually part of the trial. There are some other doctors who use this, but no one nearer to me.

Cryoablation takes about 20 minutes in the doctor's office, and is the insertion of a probe through a 3-4mm slit under US guidance until it enters the tumor. It uses liquid nitrogen (which stays entirely in the probe, none gets into you!) to freeze the tumor and an area of 1cm around on all sides. The cycle is, according to Dr. Weintritt, 6 minutes freezing, a few minutes thaw, another 6 minutes freezing. The freeze-thaw cycle is important to killing the cells. Afterwards you are free to go, no restrictions. Return in 2 weeks for a check, then in 1, 3, and 6 months. MRI at 6 months, with a biopsy, then standard followup after. AIs for 5 years.

These are the trials I've seen. I may end up in the FROST trial:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT01992250?term=FROST#contacts

This is the website for the FROST trial sponsored by Sanarus, now in its third phase and recruiting, participants must be 50 or older, tumor <1.5cm.

This trial is sponsored by a different company that also makes a cryotherapy device:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02200705

Participants must be at least 60 years of age, tumor < 1.5cm.

I've seen another clinical trial using cryotherapy for larger tumors along with immunotherapy but it is significantly different: NCT02950259

Below are the two companies' websites:

http://www.sanarus.com/clinical-info

Website of company that produces the Seneca device, the device used in the Z1072 clinical trial and being used in the ongoing Phase III trial.See also the clinical-info tab has the obvious plus links, the Our Solution tab has a short video of the procedure, see also the Patient tab and Home.You need to contact them directly to find out if there are any doctors near you who perform this, contact info on many tabs, they were very pleasant and prompt in answering our questions.

http://breasthealthoptions.com/

Website of company that produces the ICE3 device.I'm personally a little irritated by the website presentation as "breast health options" with no mention that this the website of ONE company alone and that their device is not the device used in the Z1072 trial, although they do mention the trial.Their site has a Find Treatment tab with a US map, but it is not clear whether the sites on the map use their device for cryotherapy of cancerous tumors or of benign fibroadenomas only, a fairly common technique for years.

They are also sponsoring a trial which appears to be still recruiting: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02200705Participants must be at least 60 years of age, tumor < 1.5cm.

I was able to find a couple of other posts about the use of cryoablation, but nothing recent and no following comments. It seems to me this is a VERY good option for those who qualify, and I would love to help others hear about it. Please let me know if its OK to post the above.

Thanks,

Slimslug