Cryo-ablation - Buying Time

JanetEgerton · New User Joined: 09 Sep 2008 Posts: 4 Location: North East

I have just tried a new treatment for mesothelioma its called cryo-ablation. I went to UCLA under a Dr Abtin also performing this treatment is a Dr Suh.

It meant I had three probes inserted into the largest mass at the bottom of my lung then gas was inserted to freeze the cancer cells. It took approx 5 hours in all but I have one less tumour. This tumour was causing alot of pain as it was pushing on my kidney and diaphram as well as strangling my aorta, (the main vein to my heart).

I was in and out of UCLA hospital in a day and flew back home 6 days later.

Although I have other tumours, these will be ablated as and when they are at a certain size.

I'm not a doctor or scientist but I believe that no matter what size, as long as its there, they will be able to reduce the tumour giving us much more time.

I have other tumours but these will be watched and when the time is right I'll be buying another airplane ticket and getting them zapped one by one

The technique means that many of the larger tumours can be killed off buying us much more time. Its not a cure but it works.

All I can find on cryo-ablation on the internet at the moment is for Kidney, liver and postrate, but please don't be put off contact UCLA Hospital, Los Angeles, you can find them on the Web site and send an email, I don't want to publish either Doctors email's on an open site.

I hope someone else out there will try this out, I feel so much better and its only 2 weeks since I had it done. My chest and heart feel like new, also suffer no kidney aches and no headaches.

Good luck to anyone with this disease, but again try cryo-ablation, even if it buys me 6 months its been well worth it Laughing

I know the clock on this tumour has been reset to Zero, and if each tumour can be reset how many years will that buy!

Before you ask yes you have to pay for the treatment, but its not expensive, take the family and let them use the time as a holiday while you get over the initial discomfort by the hotel pool. Stay at the W Los Angeles, just 5 to 10 minutes walk from the hospital, in a very good area of Los Angeles.
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Jan

M23 · New User Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 3

Hi Jane
Wow - I am so glad that I found this site and your message. My Father has MPM and has undergone 4 Chemos (Altima & Cisplatin) which slowed the tumour but now a month later he is in a lot of pain in his kidneys and has had to start morphine tablets. We have been looking for some hope and this looks fab. The only problem is that we live in New Zealand - but I will enquire into this more with the UCLA and see if we are able to do it. Just depends if Dad is able to fly the 12 hour flight to LA. If you do have anymore information that would be great and to let me know how you are doing.
Best regards M23

JanetEgerton · New User Joined: 09 Sep 2008 Posts: 4 Location: North East

Hi

Sorry to hear that your Dad's been through Altima 4 times, twice was bad enough.

(Sorry didn't realise this was on open view and I don't want Dr Abtin getting junk mail - If you want info please pm me)

He will request a copy of your Dad's last CT Scan and once he has it will be able to let you know whether or not he can help. I understand the pain your Dad will be in as my kidney hurt like hell. The procedure is pretty simple.

Your positioned under a CT Scan and the Prof and his team (7 of them) are with you the whole time. Prof Abtin slowly inserts probes into the tumour and when they are in position he slowly releases a gas which freezes the cells. You feel the results the next day (I did because the cancer was really sitting ontop of the kidney). You will feel tender around the muscle area of your back, this takes upto 3 weeks to clear but it's not as bad as the cancer pain.

Whilst he is looking at your scan he may well point out other areas that cause no pain but can be ablated.

I have had 5 weeks pain free from the cancer in that area, only problem is the rest of it is growing so will be travelling back myself to get some more killed off.

I do hope your Dad can travel, I didn't think anyone in New Zealand was affected by this cancer, so you learn something everyday.

There is nothing posted about cryo-ablation, believe me I have looked. Even UCLA haven't got anything on their websites posted as yet. It is a relatively new treatment. My oncologist is all for it but many don't like you trying something different.

Please keep in touch and let me know how you get on. Fingers crossed that you can get something done.

Regards

Jan
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Jan

M23 · New User Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 3

Wow, I'm so glad you read the email and replied.

I am so sorry that you are afflicted by this awful cancer.
I am glad that you are able to get some relief from the Kidney pain with this new procedure though - it all helps a little. Thank you for the information. I have been emailing all and sundry to try to get to the right guy at UCLA so I will also email the one you have supplied today.

I am taking my Mum and Dad into hospital in one hour to see a new 'top of the range' Lung Professor and will be able to talk more about this procedure because of your posting - thank you so much - even if it gives Dad a little hope - I really don't know if he will be able to make the trip but we will find out more today.

And yes, unfortunately New Zealand is affected by this Meso, but Australia even more so because of their mining. Dad caught it from lagging pipes under new schools back in 1970 when I was born. He only did it for five months and then we dairy farmed for over 30 years so this is a real pity that he did that job - he was also a boiler maker before that so this could also have played a part. I new nothing about this too until March of this year - still wish I was oblivious but now I must try and help.

Will keep you posted and once again thank you so much for sharing your information. We all need someone to chat too at this difficult time.

It is a great sunny day here in New Zealand and Spring is here. We live on a little farm so I must be off to feed the calves before I go and organise my three children.

Best regards

Jo (M23)

mike p · New User Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 1

Hi everybody, I was encouraged to hear about this cyro alblation treatment that a couple peaople have tried. My father has been diagnosed with mes and I'm looking for any answers that are out there. Please respond with any answers about this or any other new ideas, thanks and good luck everyone!

M23 · New User Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 3

Hi Mike

So sorry to hear about your Father being diagnosed with Meso. My Father passed away in February this year. We were too far from America for him to travel and I we didn't have many options here in New Zealand like this Cyro Abalation. All treatment depends on at what stage your Father is at and where you are living. I would definitely suggest trying other treatments apart from or as well as the conventional Chemo. All I can say in our instance is that Dad was very advanced when found, but the Chemo - which he handled well, gave him another five months of life and we saw Xmas and his 65th birthday just before he went. All my prayers and thought are with your Father and family. This is a difficult cancer but your Father is lucky to have all your support.
Cheers M23

JanetEgerton · New User Joined: 09 Sep 2008 Posts: 4 Location: North East

Mike

sorry to hear the news that you are having to face the quandry of mesothelioma within the family.

Joe sorry also to hear that your father died.

There are many forms of debulking the cancer out there now as well as cryo-ablation, you have radio frequency and cyberknife.

I have compiled a website called {link deleted by admin. http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=12696 }

which has a rough outline of treatments, I am in the middle of revamping as treatments are coming up all the time. There is also a manufacture of the cyberknife who has given me information, the information is on the website, not sure whether that page has updated (can't work it out) properly but it does have some contact numbers in UK. you can email me on jan@jansjourney.co.uk if you want.

One thing I do know about this cancer it never gives up, possibly because the cancer is nearly as old as the person it resides in. There are things out there to hold it back and operations to remove vast amounts. My mind tells me if there's less then it can't produce as much .. but I'm a simple pen pusher and not a specialist chest person.

Good luck to everyone with this, I'm still going and its 5 years diagnosed but from start of symptoms its 10 years, I know others who are doing better with remission (I've yet to really truly get there) so don't give up and keep searching out treatments.

Idea

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Jan

heidrek · Regular Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Posts: 15

Thanks for sharing this - sounds like quite an effective treatment with minimal side effects!

really good to hear about things like this - we should all spread the word on this option.

Janet, if you don't mind my asking, was there much difficulty in recover afterwards? was it covered under your medical insurance?

Thanks,

jonykruger · New User Joined: 12 Dec 2009 Posts: 3

Cryoablation is a process that uses extreme cold (cryo) to remove tissue (ablation).

Cryoablation is used in a variety of clinical applications using hollow needles (cryoprobes) through which cooled, thermally conductive, fluids are circulated. Cryoprobes are inserted into or placed adjacent to tissue which is determined to be diseased in such a way that ablation will provide correction yielding benefit to the patient. When the probes are in place, the cryogenic freezing unit removes heat ("cools") from the tip of the probe and by extension from the surrounding tissues.

Ablation occurs in tissue that has been frozen by at least three mechanisms: (1) formation of ice crystals within cells thereby disrupting membranes, and interrupting cellular metabolism among other processes; (2) coagulation of blood thereby interrupting bloodflow to the tissue in turn causing ischemia and cell death; and (3) induction of apoptosis, the so-called programmed cell death cascade.

The most common application of cryoablation is to ablate solid tumors found in the lung, liver, breast, kidney and prostate. The use in prostate and renal cryoablation are the most common. Although sometimes applied through laparoscopic or open surgical approaches, most often cryoablation is performed percutaneously (through the skin and into the target tissue containing the tumor).
source:wikipedia

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