Percutaneous cryoablation reduces pain in patients with advanced cancer

"NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Percutaneous cryoablation can ease pain in patients with symptomatic extraabdominal metastatic disease, a new study shows.

In four patients with advanced disease who had failed surgical resection, chemotherapy or external beam radiation therapy, the procedure provided significant pain relief and reduced their need for narcotics, Dr. Damian E. Dupuy of Brown Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island, told Reuters Health.

Normally, such patients would require increasing doses of narcotics, making it difficult for them to leave the house, drive or even read, Dr. Dupuy noted. 'Their narcotic usage decreased after the treatment,' he said. 'Any decrease in that can certainly improve a patient's quality of life -- they're not so sleepy all the time.'"...

"Two patients requested general anesthesia during the procedure, while the other two underwent conscious sedation. Cryoablation produces relatively less pain than radiofrequency ablation, Dr. Dupuy noted, because the freezing numbs tissue. The cryoablation device also allows for the placement of up to eight probes, making it possible to get at a large volume of tumor."

"Dr. Dupuy's group is currently conducting a larger study of cryoablation for palliative care. The researcher said he believes the technique could eventually be used for curative purposes."

Couldn't find anything about this study, though. I was wondering if someone else might have better luck and put it on the trials board if it is of interest.