Cryoablation techniques in bladder cancer: A review

Abstract

Bladder cancer (BC) ranks as the tenth most common cancer globally. Histopathologically, BC is broadly categorized into urothelial and non-urothelial BC. Urothelial carcinoma represents over 90% of BC in most regions worldwide. The standard treatment procedure for diagnosing and treating non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT). Currently, the standard of care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy. Cryoablation therapy is a medical technique that uses extremely low temperatures to destroy diseased tissue. This treatment serves as a therapeutic tool for both benign and malignant diseases in organs such as the kidney, prostate gland, lung, liver, and breast, and is particularly effective for unresectable tumors, offering less trauma, quick recovery, good tolerability, and symptom control. However, cryoablation has its limitations. Over the past few years, cryoablation therapy has emerged as a new method for treating early BC. This treatment is minimally invasive, precise, and offers quick recovery, providing patients with a new treatment option. Although randomized studies are still limited, increasing evidence suggests its potential application in bladder cancer combined with transurethral resection (TURBT) or medication. Cryoablation is not standard therapy for bladder cancer. Treatment decisions should be discussed by a multidisciplinary team of urologists, oncologists, and interventional physicians and require more randomized controlled trials to define patient selection criteria and treatment approaches.

Keywords

• bladder tumor
• transurethral resection of bladder tumors
• muscle-invasive bladder cancer
• non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer
• cryoablation