A Cryosurgical Approach to Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United Statesi, presenting the need for more refined treatment options than traditional invasive surgery and chemo- and radiation therapy. This study investigates the use of less-invasive cryosurgery to effectively freeze and kill a cancerous lung tumor, 3mm in diameter, while minimizing peripheral tissue damage. A single, liquid-nitrogen filled probe is inserted into a lung tumor and maintained at a constant temperature of -190?C. The freezing front is monitored to ensure cancerous cell death and prevent excessive damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. Based on data obtained by analyzing probe temperature, contact time and model sensitivity to variations in biomaterial properties, recommendations are made for surgical implementation: an initial contact time of 6 minutes followed by successively shorter application times. Additionally, further study designs are discussed to improve the quality of this treatment method and to ensure target outcomes with respect to tumor cell death and protection of healthy lung tissue