Interventional oncology · UK
Cryoablation for cancer, image-guided freezing of tumours.
A percutaneous, MDT-led treatment for small renal, lung, liver, bone, breast and soft-tissue tumours — with the ice ball watched in real time on CT or MRI, and the option compared honestly against surgery, microwave, RFA and SBRT.
Why patients choose us
- 01
An interventional radiologist, in a hybrid theatre
Not a general oncology day room. A named IR consultant, real-time CT, ultrasound or MRI guidance, and cryoprobes placed by someone who does this every week.
- 02
A tumour MDT before a probe goes in
Cryoablation is one option among several — surgery, microwave, RFA, SBRT. A multidisciplinary meeting decides which fits your tumour, not the operator selling the treatment.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private cryoablation costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner interventional oncology centres. Send the imaging and we quote firm figures with insurer authorisation.
In short
Renal cryoablation for a T1a tumour: £9,000–£14,000, home the next day.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renal cryoablation (T1a, < 4 cm) | £9,000–£14,000 | 2–3 hours GA | One night |
| Lung cryoablation (oligometastasis) | £8,500–£13,000 | 2 hours GA | One night |
| Liver cryoablation (selected cases) | £9,000–£14,000 | 2–3 hours GA | One night |
| Bone metastasis cryoablation (palliation) | £7,500–£12,000 | 90 min GA | Same day / 1 night |
| Breast cryoablation (small ER+, selected) | £6,500–£10,000 | 60–90 min | Same day |
| Soft-tissue cryoablation (desmoid) | £7,500–£12,000 | 90 min GA | One night |
| MDT review and planning consultation only | £350–£600 | 45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by centre, by the number and type of cryoprobes needed, by the anaesthetic, and by any imaging or overnight stay bundled in. We come back with a firm quote once the imaging and histology are seen.
The problem
The right modality, in the right hands, for the right tumour.
Tumour ablation is often sold as a single technique. In reality, cryoablation, microwave, RFA, HIFU, SBRT and surgery each fit a specific tumour and patient — and someone has to compare them honestly before you agree.
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Is ablation even the right call?
For some tumours, surgery cures. For others, SBRT is cleaner. We check the MDT view before recommending any probe.
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Cryo, microwave or RFA?
Each modality has a place. We say which fits your tumour location, size and adjacent structures — and why.
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Done properly?
A named interventional radiologist, a hybrid or interventional CT suite, a proper anaesthetic team and structured follow-up imaging.
The journey
From imaging to follow-up — what happens, in order.
One point of contact from first message to the twelve-month scan — including MDT reviews and follow-up imaging.
Phase 1 · Imaging and MDT
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · The procedure
Day-case plus one night
Phase 3 · Follow-up
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You send us the imaging
Recent CT, MRI or PET, plus the histology and any MDT letter. A short, confidential form covers symptoms and treatment history.
- 02
Before
MDT review and recommendation
Within a few working days: the tumour is discussed at a specialist MDT. If cryoablation is the right step we say so; if SBRT, microwave or surgery fits better, we say that too.
- 03
Before
Planning scan and consent
A dedicated planning CT or MRI maps probe trajectories, ice-ball margins and adjacent structures. Anticoagulants and diabetes medication are reviewed with the team.
- 04
On the day
Arrival and anaesthetic
Admission, consent and a chat with the interventional radiologist and anaesthetist. Most cases are done under general anaesthetic; some renal and bone cases under sedation.
- 05
On the day
The procedure itself
Cryoprobes are placed through the skin under CT, ultrasound or MRI guidance. Two freeze–thaw cycles create an ice ball that engulfs the tumour with a margin, visible in real time on imaging.
- 06
On the day
Overnight observation
Most patients stay one night. Post-procedure imaging confirms no bleeding, no pneumothorax after lung work, and no urinoma after renal work.
- 07
After
Follow-up imaging and MDT review
Contrast MRI or CT at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months to confirm complete ablation. Any residual or new disease is discussed at the tumour MDT.
Typical end-to-end: 2–3 weeks from imaging to procedure. Structured follow-up: 1, 3, 6 and 12 months.
When it helps
When cryoablation is the right step.
The tumour situations where cryoablation earns its place — plus the red flag that means an emergency, not a follow-up call.
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Small renal tumours (T1a, < 4 cm)
A well-established alternative to partial nephrectomy in select patients — nephron-sparing and low morbidity.
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Lung oligometastases
One to a few pulmonary metastases from colorectal, renal or sarcoma primaries — cryoablation offers local control with lung-sparing.
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Liver tumours (selected)
A limited role compared to microwave and RFA — reserved for lesions near heat-sensitive structures or when a visible ice ball is preferred.
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Bone metastases — palliation
Painful bony deposits from breast, lung, renal or prostate primaries — cryoablation gives durable pain relief, often with cementoplasty.
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Small ER+ breast cancer (selected)
Emerging role in older patients or those unfit for surgery — done under local anaesthetic with ultrasound guidance in appropriate cases.
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Desmoid and soft-tissue tumours
A recognised option for symptomatic desmoid fibromatosis and select soft-tissue lesions where surgery would be morbid.
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Unfit for surgery or SBRT
Patients whose comorbidities rule out general surgery, or whose tumour location makes stereotactic radiotherapy difficult.
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Red flag: post-ablation deterioration
Severe pain, breathlessness, blood in urine, fever or collapse in the days after ablation is not routine — same-day A&E, not a follow-up call.
Treatment options
Cryoablation is not the only option.
What each treatment on the table actually involves — and which fits which tumour. The MDT arbitrates, not the operator.
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Cryoablation
Argon-gas cryoprobes exploit the Joule–Thomson effect to form an ice ball. Ice-ball margin is visible on CT and MRI, so the treatment zone can be watched in real time.
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Microwave ablation
Fast, high-temperature heating. Often preferred in liver and lung where speed and reliable heating through blood flow matter more than a visible margin.
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Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
Older heat-based technique. Still used for small liver, renal and bone lesions; slower than microwave and limited by heat sinks near vessels.
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High-intensity focused ultrasound
Non-invasive focused ultrasound. Limited to accessible targets (prostate, uterine fibroid, bone pain) and specialist centres.
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Stereotactic body radiotherapy
Highly focused external radiation over 3–8 sessions. A strong alternative for lung, spine, liver and prostate lesions — no probe, but a course rather than a single treatment.
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Surgery (partial nephrectomy etc.)
The gold standard for many curable solid tumours. Discussed alongside ablation for T1a renal, small colorectal metastases and other selected cases.
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Active surveillance
For very small, slow-growing lesions in older or comorbid patients, no treatment plus serial imaging is sometimes the right answer.
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Systemic therapy alone
Chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted agents may be enough when local ablation would add little — an oncologist’s call, not a proceduralist’s.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of interventional oncologists, we picked them.
Consultant interventional radiologists working within formal tumour MDTs at established UK cancer centres. Introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every interventional radiologist in our network.
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Consultant interventional radiologists on the RCR / CIRSE ablation register
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Cases discussed at a formal tumour MDT before booking
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Hybrid theatre or interventional CT / MRI suite, not a diagnostic scanner
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Anaesthetic team familiar with cryoshock, pneumothorax and post-ablation pain
Safety and complications
What can go wrong — honestly.
Cryoablation is a safe procedure in experienced hands, but it is not risk-free. The complications worth knowing about are these — most are manageable if the team is prepared.
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Haemorrhage
Bleeding at the probe track is the commonest complication — usually minor, occasionally needing embolisation. Anticoagulants are managed in advance.
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Cryoshock (rare)
A rare systemic response — coagulopathy, ARDS and DIC — described mainly with large-volume liver cryoablation. Modern probes and staged cycles have made it uncommon.
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Skin frostbite
The skin over the probe entry can freeze if warming saline is not used. Uncommon in experienced hands, but a real risk to know about.
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Pneumothorax (lung cases)
Air in the pleural space after lung cryoablation is common — usually small and self-limiting; occasionally needing a chest drain overnight.
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Collecting-system injury (renal)
Injury to the renal collecting system can cause urinoma or haematuria. Central tumours are protected with warmed saline (pyeloperfusion).
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Biliary injury (liver)
Central liver tumours risk bile-duct injury and biloma. Cryoablation may actually be gentler here than heat-based methods for the ducts themselves.
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Nerve injury
Nerves close to the ice ball — brachial plexus, sciatic, intercostal — can be temporarily or permanently damaged. Neuroprotection with hydrodissection is standard.
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Incomplete ablation and recurrence
The ice ball must extend a 5–10 mm margin beyond the tumour. Under-treatment risks local recurrence — hence the strict follow-up imaging schedule.
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Red flags
Worsening pain, fever, breathlessness, heavy blood in urine or collapse in the days after ablation are not normal — same-day A&E, and tell the IR team.
Reading your procedure report
Your cryoablation report in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever organ was treated, the interventional radiology report keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Interventional radiology language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the report before your MDT review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication, target lesion and modality
The tumour treated, its size and location, and why cryoablation was chosen over microwave, RFA, SBRT or surgery.
- 02 Technique
Guidance, probes and freeze–thaw cycles
Imaging guidance used (CT, US, MRI), number and type of cryoprobes, freeze–thaw cycle timings, and any protective measures (hydrodissection, pyeloperfusion, warming saline).
- 03 Findings
Ice-ball coverage and immediate complications
Whether the ice ball covered the tumour with an adequate margin, and any immediate bleeding, pneumothorax or collecting-system findings on the post-procedure scan.
- 04 Impression
Follow-up plan and MDT next steps
Read this first: expected recovery, symptoms to report, the follow-up imaging schedule (1, 3, 6, 12 months), and when the tumour MDT will review the result.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for cryoablation varies by insurer, indication and MDT recommendation — most oncological indications are funded with pre-authorisation. We confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about cryoablation for cancer.
Quick answers on how it works, which tumours qualify, how it compares to SBRT and surgery, and the risks that matter.
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Can I have cryoablation instead of surgery for my cancer?
For selected small kidney, lung, bone, breast and liver tumours, yes — cryoablation is an image-guided alternative to surgery for people who are unfit for an operation or who want to avoid one. An interventional radiologist places thin cryoprobes through the skin under CT, ultrasound or MRI guidance and forms an ice ball that destroys the tumour with a margin of normal tissue; London’s specialist centres usually do it as a day case or single overnight stay.
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Which cancers can be treated with cryoablation?
Most commonly small renal tumours under 4 cm (T1a), lung metastases in oligometastatic disease, painful bone metastases, and selected liver, breast, desmoid and soft-tissue tumours. Suitability is decided at a tumour MDT, not by the operator alone.
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How is cryoablation different from microwave or radiofrequency ablation?
Microwave and RFA use heat; cryoablation uses cold. The main practical advantage of cryo is that the ice ball is visible on CT and MRI in real time, so the treatment margin can be watched. Heat-based methods are usually faster and are preferred in the liver and in most lung work.
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How does cryoablation compare to stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)?
SBRT is a highly focused external radiotherapy course, usually 3–8 sessions, with no probe. Cryoablation is a one-off percutaneous procedure. Both are valid for many small lung, spine and renal lesions — the choice depends on tumour location, patient fitness, prior radiation and MDT preference.
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What happens during the procedure?
Usually under general anaesthetic in a hybrid theatre or interventional CT suite. Cryoprobes are placed through the skin under imaging guidance. Two freeze–thaw cycles are run — typically 10 minutes freeze, 8 minutes thaw, repeated — and the ice ball is monitored on scan.
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How long is recovery?
Most patients stay one night, are home the next day and back to routine activities within a week. Local soreness and bruising are normal; heavy exercise and long-haul travel wait two weeks. Follow-up imaging starts at one month.
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What are the main risks?
Bleeding at the probe track, pneumothorax with lung ablation, urinoma or haematuria with renal ablation, biliary injury with liver work, skin frostbite, nerve injury near the ice ball, and — very rarely — cryoshock (coagulopathy, ARDS, DIC). Incomplete ablation with later recurrence is the main oncological risk.
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Will one treatment be enough?
Often, yes — but not always. If follow-up imaging shows residual or recurrent tumour, a repeat cryoablation, a different modality or a change of strategy is discussed at the MDT.
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How much does private cryoablation cost in the UK?
Roughly £7,500–£14,000 depending on organ, tumour size and complexity, plus the planning and follow-up imaging. We come back with a firm quote and a confirmed insurer authorisation before booking.
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When should I seek urgent help after the procedure?
Worsening pain not controlled by prescribed painkillers, new breathlessness, heavy fresh blood in urine, a temperature over 38 °C, or collapse are all reasons to go to A&E the same day and to contact the IR team.
Related
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Cryotherapy treatment
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MRI
The workhorse scan for tumour planning and follow-up.
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PET scanning
Whole-body staging before and after ablation.
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All tests
Every test and procedure we arrange.
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Prostate Cancer
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Colorectal Cancer
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CT Scanning
Related diagnostic test.
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In practice, in London
How cryoablation for cancer tends to unfold when you go private
For cryoablation for cancer, the private London route is mostly about consultant fit and hospital choice rather than raw waiting time. Public provision for cryoablation for cancer is competent but constrained by capacity. Private London clinics tend to have shorter diaries and longer appointment slots, so you get the same specialists with more time. For people who’ve been going round in circles with primary care, that first proper conversation is often what shifts things.
The mechanics are straightforward: a consultant appointment, any tests done at a nearby CQC-registered site, and a written report back within a few days. London’s density of private diagnostics — Marylebone, the City, Chelsea, Canary Wharf — means most patients can find something that fits around work without a cross-town trek. For cryoablation for cancer in particular, we bias towards consultants who do this every week rather than every month.
There are a lot of consultants in London who can technically handle cryoablation for cancer. Fewer who do it week in, week out for the exact question you’re bringing. We spend most of our time working out which is which — and being straight when a different test or a different specialist would serve you better. Everything runs to CQC, GMC and Royal College standards; the choice is about fit, not floor.
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