Before opting for cryotherapy, it is worth finding out what advantages this treatment has over other forms of treatment and what side effects it may have.
Cryosurgery, like virtually all treatments, can have unpleasant side effects, but it should be noted that these are far less severe than in the case of traditional surgery or radiotherapy. It is worth taking a holistic view of the problem and analysing the advantages and disadvantages of cold treatment.
First of all, this type of treatment is less invasive than traditional surgery and involves less of the body, thus limiting pain, bleeding and any other complications associated with cutting tissue. Cryosurgery is also less expensive and involves a shorter hospital stay and return to general fitness. As the doctors operate on a limited area of the patient's body, the risk of damaging neighbouring healthy cells is minimised. The procedure itself can be repeated several times and combined with other ways of treating lesions. It can also prove effective for atypical tumours or those resisting standard treatment methods. It is also suitable for many people who, due to age or other reasons, cannot undergo conventional surgery.
The possible side effects largely depend on the location of the focus of the disease, for example, in the case of skin lesion removal, the treatment may leave scarring or swelling, while accidental nerve disruption may cause loss of sensation. Cryotherapy can also interact dangerously with certain types of chemotherapy. But so far, the main drawback of this method is its uncertain efficacy - while a doctor can easily remove tumours that can be seen on an image or screen, it is difficult to be precise when removing microscopic, damaged cells.
Research is still underway to help improve cryosurgery, both in terms of detecting and destroying as many cancer cells as possible and how to combine it with other types of treatment.