Overview

Cryoablation is a procedure that uses cold to treat cancer.

During cryoablation, a thin, wandlike needle called a cryoprobe is inserted through the skin. The cryoprobe is placed directly into the cancer. A gas is pumped into the cryoprobe to freeze the tissue. Then the tissue is allowed to thaw. The freezing and thawing process is repeated several times.

Cryoablation for cancer is typically used when surgery isn't an option. Cryoablation is sometimes used as a treatment for many types of cancer, including:

Bone cancer.
Breast cancer.
Cervical cancer.
Eye cancer.
Kidney cancer.
Liver cancer.
Lung cancer.
Prostate cancer.

Cryoablation also is used to relieve the pain and other symptoms caused by cancer that spreads to the bone, other organs or lymph nodes. It can be used to treat large tumors that can't be treated by surgery.

Cryoablation for cancer also is called percutaneous cryoablation, cryosurgery or cryotherapy.

Get Mayo Clinic cancer expertise delivered to your inbox.

Subscribe for free and receive an in-depth guide to coping with cancer, plus helpful information on how to get a second opinion. You can unsubscribe at any time. Click here for an email preview.

Email address

I would like to learn more about

Up-to-date cancer news & research Mayo Clinic cancer care & management options

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Cryoablation for cancer care at Mayo Clinic

Request an appointment

Doctors & Departments

Dec. 22, 2022

Cryotherapy. RadiologyInfo.org. https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/cryo. Accessed Oct. 18, 2022.
Jennings JW, et al. Cryoablation for palliation of painful bone metastases: The MOTION Multicenter Study. Radiology: Imaging Cancer. 2021; doi:10.1148/rycan.2021200101.
Parvinian A, et al. Percutaneous cryoablation of larger tumors: Safety, feasibility, and technical considerations. Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology. 2022; doi:10.1007/s00270-021-03025-7.
Parvinian A, et al. A single-institution experience in percutaneous image-guided cryoablation of lymph node metastases. AJR: American Journal of Roentgenology. 2021; doi:10.2214/AJR.20.22861.