Emerging Areas in Breast Cancer Surgery Research

Cryoablation

Cryoablation is a procedure that uses cold to treat cancer. During the procedure, a special wand-like needle is inserted through the skin and placed in the tumor. Then, a very cold gas is pumped into the needle to freeze and destroy the tumor. The extreme cold can cause severe burns to the skin.

Cryoablation is sometimes used to treat other types of cancer, such as liver cancer, when surgery isn’t an option. However, it doesn’t provide important information about the tumor, such as whether or not there are cancer cells in the tumor margins.

Cryoablation is under study for the treatment of breast cancer. Studies are looking at whether it may be a safe alternative to surgery when the risks of surgery are very high (such as in some older people) or when a person has a small breast cancer at low risk of recurrence [12-13,355].

Learn about other emerging areas in breast cancer treatment.

Clinical trials

Research is ongoing to improve all areas of treatment for breast cancer.

New therapies are being studied in clinical trials. The results of these studies will determine whether these therapies become part of the standard of care. Clinical trials can also study other parts of care, such as ways to manage side effects.

After discussing the benefits and risks with your oncologist, we encourage you to consider joining a clinical trial if there’s one right for you.

Read our blog, Four Things to Know About Clinical Trials When You’re Diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

Susan G. Komen® Patient Care Center

If you or a loved one needs information or resources about clinical trials, the Patient Care Center can help. Contact the Komen Breast Care Helpline at 1-877-465-6636 or email clinicaltrialinfo@komen.org. The Patient Care Center navigators offer breast cancer clinical trial education and support, such as: Knowing when to consider a trial How to find a trial How to decide which trial is best for you What to expect during a trial Information about clinical trial resources Se habla español.

BreastCancerTrials.org in collaboration with Komen offers a custom matching service to help find clinical trials that fit your needs.

Learn what else Komen is doing to help people find and participate in breast cancer clinical trials, including trials supported by Komen.

Learn how Komen-funded research is improving treatment for breast cancer.

Learn more about clinical trials and find a list of resources to help you find a clinical trial.

 

Our commitment to research

At Susan G. Komen®, we are committed to saving lives by meeting the most critical needs in our communities and investing in breakthrough research to prevent and cure breast cancer. Our Research Program is an essential driving force for achieving this mission. Since our inception in 1982, Komen has provided funding to support research grants that have greatly expanded our knowledge of breast cancer and helped us understand that breast cancer is not just a single disease but many diseases, unique to each individual. To date, Komen has provided more than $1.1 billion to researchers in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 23 countries to support research that has resulted in: A better understanding of breast cancer, including earlier detection Personalized, less invasive treatments for what was once a “one-treatment-fits-all” disease Improvements in both quality of life and survival rates Learn more about our continuing investment in research and the exciting research that we are funding, because nothing would make us happier than ending breast cancer forever.

*Please note, the information provided within Komen Perspectives articles is only current as of the date of posting. Therefore, some information may be out of date. 

Updated 03/20/26

This content is regularly reviewed by an expert panel including researchers, practicing clinicians and patient advocates.