Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are still the first line of defense against breast cancer. But exciting new techniques are entering clinical trials and, if they work, may eventually replace the old standards with kinder, gentler treatments
TUMOR ABLATION
--HOW IT'S DONE Cancers can be frozen or vaporized with lasers or high-energy radiowaves delivered by a probe through a tiny incision. In one technique, the probe opens like an umbrella inside the breast
--AVAILABILITY Already used for liver tumors. Clinical trials for breast cancer are under way, but could take five years to complete
ENDOSCOPY
--HOW IT'S DONE Tumors can be examined...