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Cryotherapy

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Induction Chemotherapy

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Abstract

Cryotherapy, also known as cryosurgery, is the induction of cell death through the use of extreme cold. Cold therapy is an age-old phenomenon, and its use in medicine dates back to ancient Egypt. However, its anticancer effects were only recognised in the nineteenth century, and the last 40 years have seen refinements in the delivery and application of this technique that have enabled the routine use of this therapy in clinical practice. By far, the most frequent use of cryotherapy is in the treatment of dermatological lesions, but it now has an established role in the treatment of other malignancies including those of the prostate, kidney, liver, cervix, bone and eyes. This chapter outlines the rationale behind this system and its role in current cancer treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, St George Hospital, The University of New South Wales, Pitney Building Level 3, Kogarah, NSW, 2217, Australia

    Miriam R. Habib & David L. Morris

Authors
  1. Miriam R. Habib
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  2. David L. Morris
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Correspondence to David L. Morris .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgical Oncology, Medias Klinikum GmbH & Co KG, Burghausen, Germany

    Karl Reinhard Aigner

  2. Royal Prince Alfred, Sydney Hospitals, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia

    Frederick O. Stephens

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© 2016 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Habib, M.R., Morris, D.L. (2016). Cryotherapy. In: Aigner, K., Stephens, F. (eds) Induction Chemotherapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28773-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28773-7_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28771-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28773-7

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