Cryohypophysectomy for bone pain of metastatic breast cancer.

In a series of 22 patients, cryohypophysectomy gave relief of bone pain from metastatic breast cancer for 3 months in 55% of patients and for 6 months in 32% of patients. On average they were pain free for 55% of their remaining life. Advantages of this technique are the avoidance of a major operation, the mild disturbance to the patient, a short hospital stay and the paucity of significant complications apart from a need for hormone replacement.