LIVER CRYOTHERAPY – A NEW TREATMENT METHOD AT THE NATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH RADIOLOGYСAL CENTER

Interventional Radiology Department of the A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Centre (MRRC) – the branch of the FSBI “National Medical Research Radiological Centre” (NMRRC) of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation – has introduced a new method for treating oncological diseases for the Center: liver cryotherapy.

Cryotherapy is the process of destroying malignant neoplasms with cold, based on the use of extremely low temperatures. This process directly leads to the rupture of tumor cell membranes and their structures.

“The method’s key features are its minimally invasive and low-trauma nature,” says Valery Kucherov, MD, PhD, Head of the Interventional Radiology Department. “Cryoablation is performed under local anesthesia and does not require special pain management or prolonged hospitalization.”

Under X-ray guidance, a special probe connected to argon balloons is inserted into the tumor area. For several minutes, cold affects the tumor cells, destroying them from within.

“Recent global clinical trial results have shown that this technology often yields results comparable to surgical removal of tumor foci,” emphasizes Artur Petrosyan, endovascular surgeon at the Interventional Radiology Department of the A.Tsb MRRC, MD, PhD, and Chairman of the Council of Young Scientists. “Cryoablation can be used for primary and secondary liver, lung, and kidney tumors. However, an important selection criterion is the size of the formation – no more than 3 cm in diameter.”

At the A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Centre, this technology has already been applied to three patients with liver tumor foci. All of them tolerated the treatment satisfactorily and were discharged from the department in stable condition.