New cancer treatment makes its way to Denver
By Kristen West
What if someone told you that there was a way to treat a cancerous tumor using a non-invasive approach like focused sound waves? That’s exactly what some researchers and medical professionals are beginning to do using histotripsy, an innovative liver tumor treatment already available in Denver.
The concept of histotripsy was developed by ultrasound scientists from the University of Michigan as a noninvasive alternative to certain surgical procedures. According to the founding company, HistoSonics, histotripsy uses a focused ultrasound that applies high-amplitude, very short pulses to create a “bubble cloud” designed to destroy and liquefy targeted liver tumors mechanically. Although it’s been studied for several decades, the technique is just emerging as an FDA-approved method in the mainstream medical system for patients.
Dr. Eric Liu, a neuroendocrine surgeon at HCA HealthOne Presbyterian St. Luke’s in Denver, has been using histotripsy with his patients since June and says he is encouraged by the new treatment, appreciating that it doesn’t require incisions or significant side effects. “Sometimes chemo, radiation or surgery is not an option,” he says. “You want to have more options.”
This option is also very precise while less taxing on the body. It uses a machine to generate sound waves that are targeted on a tiny, specific area. All the sound waves are then so powerful that they tear the tissue apart while sparing the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor. “We use the ultrasound as a visualization technique so we can see the liver, and then I just create circles and program the computer to fire the beams inside the sphere of treatment,” Dr. Liu says. “Once the tumor is destroyed, it’s destroyed.”
Although the technique targets the liver, histotripsy is not just for liver cancer; it’s for any cancer that’s also in the liver. Researchers want to expand its use to other organs like the kidneys and pancreas. However, the liver is a common place for tumors to spread, so it’s a great place to start.
Side effects are minimal, which allows for repeated treatments without many repercussions. “Sometimes it can cause blistering of the skin, but that’s a minor side effect that goes away in a couple of days,” Dr. Liu says. It also requires general anesthesia, so the procedure time can last up to about an hour, depending on the number and size of tumors being treated. While histotripsy is non-invasive, it’s still subject to the same risks as other ablations, such as bleeding and infection. Researchers feel the risk is lower compared to invasive treatments, however. Most patients go home the same day.
The technique is relatively new to the medical system, so insurance coverage is inconsistent. Doctors expect coverage to expand as histotripsy becomes more widely available. “The outlook is promising,” Dr. Liu says. “We are all learning together, which is wonderful. [The researchers] offer some guidance, I offer some guidance, and it goes both ways. It just shows you how the research around cancer is evolving.”
