Endocare Wants to Market Cancer Aid

Endocare Inc., an Irvine developer of cryosurgical and stent technologies, said Monday that it has filed for federal clearance to market a guidance system for use with the CryoCare targeted cryoablation procedure to treat cancer.

Endocare said in a news release that its CryoGuide, a software-controlled ultrasound planning and mapping system, allows physicians to visualize a target tumor in three dimensions.

As a result, it said, doctors will be able to more precisely place the probes used to freeze and destroy a tumor.

In addition to an initial application for prostate cancer, similar integrated treatment systems are in development for use in treating kidney, breast and liver cancer.

The company filed for approval with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.