Cryohypophysectomy for bone pain of metastatic breast cancer.
In a series of 22 patients, cryohypophysectomy gave relief of bone pain from metastatic breast cancer for 3 months in 55% of patients and for 6 months in 32% of patients. On average they were pain free for 55% of their remaining life. Advantages of this technique are the avoidance of a major operation, the mild disturbance to the patient, a short hospital stay and the paucity of significant complications apart from a need for hormone replacement.
D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007016:Hypophysectomy / Q000379:methods*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications