For many women, a breast cancer diagnosis still means surgery, anesthesia and a long recovery. But for some older patients with very small, low-risk tumors, doctors are exploring a different approach: destroying the cancer with extreme cold in a short outpatient procedure that can let them go home the same day.

The technique, known as cryoablation, uses freezing temperatures to kill tumor tissue without removing part of the breast.

"I had never heard of cryoablation before... It was such a blessing," said 80-year-old patient Peggy Stehling.

The technique is being used by breast surgical oncologist Richard Fine, Director of the Margaret West Comprehensive Breast Center at the West Cancer Center and Research Institute in Germantown, Tennessee.

He said: "In simple terms, cryoablation works by placing a probe in the tumor, under ultrasound guidance. The system circulates liquid nitrogen that freezes the tumor and forms an ice ball. The ice ball then kills the tissue, and then the body reabsorbs the tissue over time."

Fine is using IceCure Medical's ProSense cryoablation system, which received FDA authorization in October 2025 for use in patients aged 70 and older with biologically low-risk breast tumors 1.5 cm or smaller who are also treated with adjuvant endocrine therapy.

IceCure says ProSense is the first and only device authorized in the United States for this specific use. The company says its system uses liquid nitrogen instead of argon gas, which could make treatment in an office setting easier. The procedure is intended to be done under local anesthesia, often in less than an hour, with minimal scarring and a quicker recovery than traditional surgery.

"The patient can resume normal activity very quickly and therefore it improves both the physical and emotional aspect of diagnosis and treatment and improves quality of life," added Fine.

Even so, its use remains limited. Guidance from the American Society of Breast Surgeons recommends cryoablation only for carefully selected older patients with small, lower-risk breast tumors. The company is planning a larger 400-patient follow-up study at at least 30 U.S. centers, while research abroad is also examining the technology. Beyond breast cancer, ProSense is also being used and studied in other cancers, including kidney and lung tumors, suggesting cryoablation could have wider applications if future data are supportive.

For Peggy Stehling, the technique was a revelation, but she encourages all women to have regular check-ups to ensure early detection.

"I've always had my regular, routine mammograms, and that's when they found it. It's so important. Every woman should know it's very important to have those regular routine checkups. So many women have never had one. And I encourage all women to have those," said Stehling.

-Stuart McDill, Matt Stock/Reuters