New Trial Exploring a Less Invasive Option for Early-Stage Breast Cancer
TRACE (Trials Research and Clinical Evidence Unit) will coordinate a new randomized feasibility trial comparing cryoablation to breast-conserving surgery for patients with early-stage, low-risk breast cancer.
The study is led by Principal Investigator Dr. Elena Parvez, Associate Professor in McMaster's Department of Surgery, with TRACE co-investigators Drs. Mark Levine and Sameer Parpia. The team also includes specialists in radiation oncology, medical oncology, and interventional radiology from McMaster and Hamilton's hospital partners.
What the study will look at
Cryoablation offers a less invasive alternative to surgery: using imaging guidance, doctors freeze and destroy the tumour through a small needle, under local anesthetic, with no incision. While early studies are promising, it has not yet been tested in Canada or compared directly to surgery in a randomized trial.
This new study will randomize 120 patients to cryoablation or standard surgery, testing whether patients are willing to be randomized and whether the trial procedures work as intended, paving the way for a future, larger trial.
Why it matters
If the results are positive, this study will lay the groundwork for a larger, multi-centre trial that could ultimately change how low-risk breast cancer is treated, offering eligible patients a less invasive option without compromising safety or outcomes.