A safe, non-surgical cure for breast cancer has been offered in the form of a method that includes freezing tumors with streams of super-cold gas, say researchers.

The "ice-ball" created around a tumour by the jabs not only kills it off but also cuts the recurrence risk, reports The Daily Express.

In a technique known as cryotherapy, fine needles are used to inject the freezing gas around the tumour.

To reach the conclusion, boffins conducted a trial that was carried out on 13 patients who had all refused to have breast operations to remove their tumours.

They remained cancer-free up to five years later when doctors saw no sign of the disease returning and noted no significant complications, experts found.

Dr Peter Littrup, interventional radiologist at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, who led the study, said the findings suggested freezing tumours was both safe and effective.

"Minimally invasive cryotherapy opens the door for a potential new treatment for breast cancer and needs to be further tested," he said. "When used for local control and - or - potential cure of breast cancer, it provided safe and effective breast conservation."

In this method, cancer cells are destroyed within minutes of the injections and the patient suffers little pain or scarring.

The study was presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Florida.