Noninvasive sound technology developed at the University of Michigan breaks down liver tumours in rats, kills cancer cells and spurs the immune system to prevent further spread — an advance that could lead to improved cancer outcomes in humans. By destroying only 50% to 75% of liver tumour volume, the rats’ immune systems were able to clear away the rest, with no evidence of recurrence or metastases in more than 80% of animals.
Results showed that the treatment stimulated the rats’ immune responses, possibly contributing to the eventual regression of the untargeted portion of the tumour. The treatment, called histotripsy, noninvasively focuses ultrasound waves to mechanically destroy target tissue with millimetre precision. The relatively new technique is currently being used in a human liver cancer trial in the US and Europe.
In many clinical situations, a cancerous tumour cannot be targeted directly. To investigate the effects of partially destroying tumours with sound, this study targeted only a portion of each mass, leaving behind a viable intact tumour. The technique works without the harmful side effects of current approaches such as radiation and chemotherapy.
Published 20 April 2022, 16:22 IST