03/02/2025
A revolutionary treatment called histotripsy is changing the way doctors fight cancer by using focused ultrasound waves to break apart tumors.
This FDA-approved therapy, pioneered at Providence Mission Hospital, offers an alternative to radiation and traditional surgeries by using sound and water to target cancer cells precisely. Unlike other treatments, histotripsy doesnât require incisions and leaves surrounding tissues unharmed. The procedure uses degassed water as a medium to focus ultrasound waves, instantly rupturing cancer cells.
Early studies suggest that liquefying tumors in this way may even help boost the body's natural defenses against cancer.
One patient, Chris Donaldson, credits histotripsy with saving his life after his ocular melanoma spread to his liver, leaving him with limited treatment options. Since undergoing the procedure, his liver has remained cancer-free, and he now looks forward to meeting his future grandchildren.
Experts believe this breakthrough could soon be applied to other cancers, including thyroid and breast tumors, making it a game-changer in oncology. With its success in treating liver cancer, histotripsy could become a powerful tool in the fight against various forms of the disease.
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