Destroying Tumors with SOUND: Histotripsy Demo & Explainer

Histotripsy is a non-invasive cancer treatment that uses targeted ultrasound waves to liquefy tumors, which are then naturally absorbed by the body, offering a precise and potentially systemic therapeutic approach.

• Histotripsy non-invasively destroys tumors using targeted ultrasound waves.

• The procedure is precise, offers rapid tissue destruction, and may stimulate an anti-tumor immune response.

• Currently for liver tumors, histotripsy is expanding to treat other organs and conditions, offering a less invasive alternative to surgery.

Histotripsy, utilizing the commercially available Edison system by Histosonics, is a non-invasive cancer treatment that destroys tumors with targeted ultrasound waves. The procedure involves no incisions, requires only sedation, and doctors can precisely target tumors with sharp margins, minimizing damage to surrounding critical structures. Beyond its direct destructive capability, research in animal models suggests histotripsy may trigger a systemic immune response, potentially offering broader anti-cancer benefits.

What is Histotripsy

• 00:00:14 Histotripsy is a non-invasive cancer treatment that employs targeted ultrasound waves to destroy tumors, with the Edison system by Histosonics being the only commercially available machine for human use. The procedure involves placing a water bath over the tumor to ensure effective ultrasound wave transmission, requiring only sedation or anesthesia for the patient, without any incisions or cuts. Doctors calibrate the system to each tumor's size and power requirements, monitoring the process live via ultrasound imaging.

How it Works

• 00:01:44 Concentrated ultrasound waves destroy tumor cells by rapidly expanding and contracting the gases naturally present within them, leading to immediate tissue destruction. The doctor sets planning points to map the tumor and a slight margin of healthy tissue, allowing the Edison system to precisely move a 'bubble cloud' through the targeted volume. This method creates very sharp margins, effectively confining the treatment and protecting critical adjacent structures from damage.

Current and Future Applications

• 00:03:38 Currently, histotripsy is primarily focused on destroying liver tumors, with successful outcomes showing complete lesion resolution and natural liver tissue healing within months. Future trials are underway for kidney and pancreatic tumors, and the technology is expected to expand to treat conditions in other organs like the prostate, breast, thyroid, and even the brain for both cancerous and non-cancerous conditions. Challenges remain with air-filled organs such as the lungs and intestines, where ultrasound waves dissipate.

Patient Experience & Benefits

• 00:04:54 A histotripsy procedure typically lasts one to three hours, with most patients returning home within a few hours post-treatment. Patients may experience some localized pain or discomfort, and systemic inflammatory symptoms like fever or flu-like illness the day after, which are normal reactions. This procedure offers a less invasive alternative to surgery, reduces complications, avoids hospital stays for many, and can be repeated multiple times for new or recurring tumors, as long as liver function is normal. Histotripsy received FDA approval in October 2023 and is expanding globally.