Williams Cancer Institute

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Breast cancer · Interventional immuno-oncology

From a minimally invasive alternative to surgery, to re-engaging immunity in advanced disease.

From a gentle alternative to surgery for small early tumors, to reawakening the immune system when advanced disease has stopped responding.

Personalized

Minimally invasive

Immune-activating

Outpatient

In plain terms

What we do, in three paragraphs.

Breast cancer care usually means surgery, radiation, or long courses of systemic drugs. Our approach treats the tumor directly: cryoablation — freezing the tumor, which ruptures the cancer cells while leaving their proteins intact so the immune system can recognize them — combined with intratumoral immunotherapy tailored to your tumor’s biology: hormone-receptor status, HER2 (including HER2-low), and TROP-2.
Hormone-receptor–positive tumors are usually immune-quiet — “cold” — and even triple-negative tumors frequently slip past checkpoint drugs given alone. Freezing the tumor releases its hidden “fingerprints,” turning it “hot”; into that same spot we inject checkpoint inhibitors plus stimulants like CpG and OX40/CD40 agonists — AblationVax, aiming for the abscopal effect.
It spans early-stage low-risk tumors seeking a minimally invasive alternative to lumpectomy or mastectomy (ProSense cryoablation received U.S. marketing authorization in 2025 for a defined group of older patients with small, low-risk, hormone-receptor–positive tumors; that authorization does not cover WCI’s added intratumoral-immunotherapy combination), locally advanced disease, oligometastatic disease, and metastatic cancer progressing despite chemotherapy, checkpoint inhibitors, ADCs, CDK4/6, or PARP inhibitors. We coordinate with your home team; most patients finish in about a week. Results vary.
One needle, one session: ablation plus immunotherapy delivered where the cancer lives.
AblationVax: the treated tumor teaches your immune system to attack cancer body-wide.
Real outcomes

From stage 0 to stage IV.

In the United States, ProSense cryoablation was authorized in October 2025 for a defined group of older patients with small, low-risk, hormone-receptor–positive breast tumors. Metastatic TNBC and HR+ patients who exhaust standard sequences face limited next-line options. Our approach covers all three contexts: curative-intent early, immune re-engagement advanced, AblationVax for resistance.

Individual results vary. These outcomes represent specific patient cases and are not guaranteed for all patients.

Where our approach fits

Treatment options by stage.

Find your diagnosis below to see what standard care offers, where we add to it, and what role our approach plays.

Early (stage 0–I)

Standard care
ProSense cryoablation, authorized in the United States for women age 70 or older with qualifying low-risk ER-positive tumors, together with endocrine therapy.
What we add
For selected younger patients: cryoablation + intratumoral immune priming under clinician review.
Curative-intent

Locally advanced (II–III)

Standard care
Neoadjuvant chemo ± immunotherapy, then surgery + radiation.
What we add
Intratumoral immune priming to reduce metastatic seeding risk.
Neoadjuvant priming

Oligometastatic

Standard care
Disease confined to a few sites.
What we add
Local control + immune activation may extend disease-free intervals beyond systemic therapy alone.
Local + systemic strategy
Our primary focus

Metastatic (stage IV)

Standard care
Progressing despite chemo, checkpoint inhibitors, ADCs (Enhertu, Trodelvy), CDK4/6, or PARP inhibitors.
What we add
Intratumoral re-engagement with fresh effector cells at the site of the antigen.

Repeated IV immunotherapy creates T-cell exhaustion — our approach engages fresh cells where the antigen lives.

Immune re-engagement
Beyond ablation alone

Destroy the tumor, then teach your immune system to finish the job.

Standard approaches
Our approach — AblationVax
Cryoablation alone, restricted to the authorized U.S. indication (ER-positive, tumor no larger than 1.5 cm, age 70 or older).
Cryoablation + intratumoral immunotherapy across stages and biologies, under clinician review.
IV checkpoint blockade for TNBC: standard systemic exposure.
Delivered directly into the tumor rather than through the bloodstream. The aim is to concentrate treatment at the tumor site and limit whole-body exposure.
Local control only.
Local destruction + systemic immune activation and immune memory.

Why this approach for breast cancer?

Minimally invasive local control

For selected early-stage patients, cryoablation can achieve durable local control without the cosmetic and functional impact of lumpectomy or mastectomy.

Converts “cold” tumors into “hot” targets

HR+ disease is typically immune-quiet; TNBC still fails checkpoint monotherapy for most. Ablation releases antigens; intratumoral immunotherapy amplifies them.

Aims for systemic response

The investigational goal is to determine whether local cryoablation can stimulate an immune response against untreated metastatic sites. In a 2024 study, this was observed in a mouse model of triple-negative breast cancer; that study did not test the effect in patients (Sardela de Miranda et al.).

Breast-specific breakthrough

Cryoablation + intratumoral immunotherapy + HER2 / TROP-2 co-targeting.

“Breast cancer cryoablation has a 20-year history at our practice. What’s new is what we add: intratumoral immunotherapy targeted to each tumor’s biology. The FDA’s 2025 authorization validates the modality — we’ve been doing combinations for a decade.”

— Dr. Jason R. Williams

Cryoablation as immune trigger

Freezing ruptures cells with proteins intact — releasing broad antigen pools. Preclinical work (2024) shows cryoablation of mammary tumors induces systemic abscopal effects.

TNBC intratumoral strategy

Intratumoral CpG, OX40, and CD40 delivery can amplify response and re-engage patients who progressed on pembrolizumab + chemo regimens.

HER2 / HER2-low / TROP-2

ADCs work systemically; intratumoral co-delivery of complementary immune stimulants can extend benefit in selected cases.

“The combination of local ablation with intratumoral immunotherapy is what separates a procedure from a personalized cancer vaccine.” — Dr. Williams

Beyond the procedure: whole-patient support.

We optimize your entire system for the best possible response — and coordinate with the team you already have.

Gut microbiome optimization

Diet, probiotics, and related therapies to support a stronger immunotherapy response.

Off-label protocols

Strategic use of repurposed medications to enhance immune response.

Personalized cocktails

Multi-agent immunotherapy tailored to your specific cancer.

Oncologist coordination

We work alongside your current chemo and radiation team.

What to expect

Your path to treatment.

1

Case review

We review your imaging (mammography, MRI, ultrasound, PET) and biomarker reports (ER, PR, HER2, Ki-67, BRCA, PD-L1, TROP-2).

2

Protocol design

A personalized cocktail tuned to your tumor’s hormone-receptor / HER2 / immune profile.

3

Procedure week

Image-guided cryoablation or PEF + intratumoral immunotherapy through the same needle. Outpatient.

4

Follow-up

Imaging at 6–8 weeks, coordination with your home oncology team.

Procedure ~1 hour

Recovery ~2 hours

All outpatient

Is this right for you?

You may be a candidate if:

✓Early-stage low-risk disease seeking a minimally invasive alternative to surgery
✓Locally advanced disease with a primary tumor target
✓Metastatic TNBC, HER2+, or HR+ disease progressing on standard sequences
✓Oligometastatic disease with limited progressing sites
✓Seeking systemic immune activation in addition to local control

It may not be suitable if:

—Diffuse miliary metastatic pattern without a focal target
—Active severe infection
—Uncorrectable bleeding disorders
—Very poor performance status (ECOG ≥ 3)
—Inflammatory breast cancer requiring systemic therapy first

Each case is individually evaluated by Dr. Williams’ team.

Track record

Pioneering breast cancer innovation since 2004.

2004

Pioneered breast cryoablation

Two decades of minimally invasive breast tumor treatment.

2014

Cryoablation + intratumoral Yervoy / Opdivo

The AblationVax concept.

2024

Preclinical abscopal confirmation

Cryoablation-induced systemic immune effect demonstrated in a breast cancer model (Sardela de Miranda et al.).

2025

ProSense cryoablation receives U.S. marketing authorization

For low-risk ER+ breast cancer — validating the modality.

Ready to move forward?

There is more ahead. Take the next step with confidence.

Complimentary evaluation.

Dr. Williams’ team will personally review your case and imaging — no cost, no obligation.

Or email info@williamscancerinstitute.com

Beverly Hills · San Jose del Cabo · Mexico City — most patients complete treatment in one week

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