In their report regarding the use of cryosurgery for breast cancer, Staren et al1 bring to bear the latest technology permitting the precise placement of cryoprobes and monitoring of the cryolesion. However, it is important to communicate that cryosurgery of breast cancer, for small and localized as well as advanced and unresectable disease, has been used for almost 30 years.
As early as 1968 and through 1994, Tanaka2 has treated 9 primary advanced and 40 recurrent breast cancers with cryosurgery. All cases were considered incurable: advanced, unresectable, and resistant to radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and endocrine therapy. The 3- and 5-year survival rate for these primary advanced breast cancers treated cryosurgically was 44%.2