The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared HistoSonics\u2019 novel therapy platform \u2013 called EdisonTM<\/sup> \u2013 to treat liver tumors. EdisonTM<\/sup> uses histotripsy to noninvasively destroy tissue in the liver and is the first and only such platform available in the US. This is also the first time the use of histotripsy has earned regulatory approval worldwide. Read More<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Focused ultrasound is a rapidly evolving, noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with liver tumors. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasound energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the body without damaging surrounding normal tissue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How it Works<\/strong> One mechanism is the production of precise ablation (thermal destruction of tissue). This destruction can be done to completely destroy the target or to partially treat it, and partial treatment is believed to stimulate the patient\u2019s immune response, which may have a broader impact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another mechanism is the use of mechanical (non-thermal) histotripsy to destroy the tumor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A third mechanism is to use focused ultrasound to cause hyperthermia which enables the local release and absorption of a therapeutic that is contained in the blood stream. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A fourth mechanism is to use Boiling Histotripsy to destroy the targets in the liver. This has the advantage that it may be useful as a \u2018bridging\u2019 technique to treat the patient and may also help in the regrowth of non-fibrous tissue, as the patient is waiting for a liver transplant.\u202fWhile this has had success in animal models, it has not yet been transferred to human treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Advantages<\/strong> For certain patients, focused ultrasound could provide a noninvasive alternative to surgery with less risk of complications \u2013 such as surgical wound healing or infection \u2013 at a lower cost. It can reach the desired target without damaging surrounding tissue and is repeatable, if necessary.\u202fFocused ultrasound can also enhance the chemotherapy dose for the target, with less impact to the rest of the patient. <\/p>\n\n\n\nFocused Ultrasound Therapy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces several therapeutic effects that are being evaluated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The primary options for treatment of liver tumors include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, localized destruction of the tumor tissue (via radiofrequency ablation, alcohol injection, cryosurgery, or laser photocoagulation), or combination of two or more of these options. The long-term solution for primary liver cancer is often liver transplantation.<\/p>\n\n\n\nClinical Trials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n