CRYO-TOUCH: Cryoablation of the Primary Breast Tumor in Metastatic Breast Cancer (CRYO-TOUCH)

June 24, 2026 updated by: Hospices Civils de Lyon

Metastatic breast cancer remains an incurable disease for most patients. While surgical treatment of the primary breast tumor is commonly performed in localized breast cancer, its role in metastatic breast cancer remains controversial due to the lack of demonstrated survival benefit and the potential interruption of systemic anticancer therapies.

Cryoablation is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that destroys tumor tissue through controlled freezing. In localized breast cancer, cryoablation has shown promising results regarding local tumor control, safety, and patient quality of life. However, evidence regarding its use in metastatic breast cancer remains limited.The primary objective of this prospective single-center cohort study is to evaluate local tumor control 12 months after cryoablation of the primary breast tumor in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Metastatic breast cancer remains an incurable disease for most patients. While surgical treatment of the primary breast tumor is commonly performed in localized breast cancer, its role in metastatic breast cancer remains controversial due to the lack of demonstrated survival benefit and the potential interruption of systemic anticancer therapies.

Cryoablation is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that destroys tumor tissue through controlled freezing. In localized breast cancer, cryoablation has shown promising results regarding local tumor control, safety, and patient quality of life. However, evidence regarding its use in metastatic breast cancer remains limited.

Preliminary retrospective data and local clinical experience suggest that cryoablation of the primary breast tumor may be feasible, safe, and associated with favorable local control in selected patients with metastatic breast cancer. Additional prospective data are needed to better characterize its clinical outcomes and its potential role as an alternative local treatment option.

The primary objective of this prospective single-center cohort study is to evaluate local tumor control 12 months after cryoablation of the primary breast tumor in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Secondary objectives include evaluation of procedure-related safety, postoperative complications, pain, quality of life, treatment interruption, and implementation outcomes such as acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity, and sustainability among both patients and healthcare professionals.

The study hypothesizes that cryoablation of the primary breast tumor is associated with satisfactory local tumor control, acceptable safety, favorable quality of life outcomes, and high acceptability among patients and healthcare professionals.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

42

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female aged ≥18 years.
  • Histologically confirmed metastatic breast carcinoma, regardless of histological subtype, hormone receptor status, HER2 status, or tumor grade.
  • Receiving systemic anticancer treatment for metastatic breast cancer, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, endocrine therapy, targeted therapy, or combination regimens.
  • Clinical response or stable disease according to RECIST v1.1 on the most recent imaging assessment performed within 3 months before enrollment, except for the primary breast lesion, which may be progressing.
  • Eligible for cryoablation of the primary breast tumor:
  • ECOG Performance Status ≤2.
  • Effective contraception for women of childbearing potential.
  • Able and willing to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Contraindication to cryoablation according to the investigator and/or interventional radiologist.
  • Contraindication to gadolinium-enhanced breast MRI according to institutional practice and radiologist assessment.
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
  • Participation in another interventional clinical study with an ongoing exclusion period or that could interfere with the present study according to investigator judgment.
  • Psychiatric disorder or any medical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, could compromise study participation or compliance with study procedures.
  • Adults under legal protection or unable to provide informed consent.
  • Persons deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision.
  • Absence of health insurance coverage.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Other: Cryoablation
Participants with metastatic breast cancer and an eligible primary breast tumor undergoing cryoablation as part of their clinical management. Participants will undergo cryoablation of the primary breast tumor and will be followed for 12 months. Study-specific procedures include baseline and 12-month breast MRI assessments, pain evaluations, quality-of-life questionnaires, safety assessments, and implementation questionnaires.
Procedure: Cryoablation
Participants with metastatic breast cancer and an eligible primary breast tumor undergoing cryoablation as part of their clinical management. Participants will undergo cryoablation of the primary breast tumor and will be followed for 12 months. Study-specific procedures include baseline and 12-month breast MRI assessments, pain evaluations, quality-of-life questionnaires, safety assessments, and implementation questionnaires.
Other: Patient-Reported Outcome Assessment
Assessment of patient-reported outcomes including quality of life (BREAST-Q questionnaire), pain evaluation, and patient experience questionnaires evaluating acceptability and appropriateness of cryoablation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Ipsilateral Breast Tumor Recurrence at 12 Months
Time Frame: 12 months after cryablation
Presence of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) 12 months after cryoablation of the primary breast tumor. IBTR is defined as invasive local recurrence identified on breast MRI and, when indicated, confirmed by biopsy.
12 months after cryablation

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Hospices Civils de Lyon

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

October 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 1, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 1, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 24, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 24, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 30, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 24, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 69HCL25_0566

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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