Cryotherapy, also called cryosurgery, uses extreme cold to freeze and kill cancer cells
It's also used to control pain and control bleeding
All cells, including cancer cells, contain water. When cryotherapy freezes the cells, the water turns to ice crystals
These ice crystals, along with the cold itself, destroy the cancer cells
Cryotherapy is used to regularly treat certain cancers and other lesions
For example, dermatologists apply liquid nitrogen directly to the skin to kill certain early-stage skin cancers and other skin lesions that could potentially turn into cancer (called pre-cancerous lesions)
Cryotherapy also is used to treat some forms of cervical, prostate, and bone cancer
When cryotherapy is used to treat cancers in the body, one or more small needles, called cryoprobes, deliver either liquid nitrogen or argon gas directly to the cancer tissue
Ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to put the cryoprobes in exactly the right place
People who have cryotherapy usually get a local anesthetic in the area where the cryoprobes will be inserted as well as a mild sedative
