Focused ultrasound is a noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with kidney tumors. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasound energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the brain without damaging surrounding normal tissue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How it Works<\/strong> One mechanism is the precise ablation (thermal destruction of tissue), which can be done to completely destroy the target or to partially treat it. 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 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. Focused ultrasound can also enhance the chemotherapy dose for the target, with less impact to the rest of the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> using histotripsy for the treatment of kidney tumors has begun in the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A second clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> using histotripsy for the treatment of kidney tumors has begun in the USA. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> in Washington, DC is using focused ultrasound to treat a variety of relapsing solid tumors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Foundation updates these pages regularly, but with the increasing number of clinical trials, we want to be sure that our audience has the latest information available. Therefore, we also added the website search information for the above trials. If you click here<\/strong><\/a>, it will take you to the latest information available from https:\/\/www.clinicaltrials.gov\/<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n See a list of treatment sites ><\/a> Search for a treatment center or clinical trial near you.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A focused ultrasound system has been approved in China and in Europe for treatment of kidney cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To the best of our knowledge, the use of focused ultrasound to treat kidney cancer is not yet reimbursed by medical insurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Schubert O,\u00a0Sighinolfi\u00a0MC, Gavi F,\u00a0Panio\u00a0E,\u00a0Assumma\u00a0S, Silvestri A, Pallotta G,\u00a0Cavarra\u00a0V, Russo P, Foschi N,\u00a0Scarciglia\u00a0E, Posa A, Maresca A, Gulino G, Cina A,\u00a0Ciccarese\u00a0C, Iacovelli R, Iezzi R, Rocco B.\u00a0Minimally Invasive Ablation Strategies for Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients Ineligible for Surgery<\/strong><\/a>. Life (Basel). 2026 Jan 4;16(1):73.\u00a0doi: 10.3390\/life16010073. PMID: 41598228\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gu L, Fu X. High-intensity focused ultrasound treatment for renal cell carcinoma in patients with diabetic nephropathy<\/strong><\/a>. Curr\u00a0Probl\u00a0Surg. 2025\u00a0Dec;73:101904.\u00a0doi: 10.1016\/j.cpsurg.2025.101904.\u00a0Epub\u00a02025 Sep 30. PMID: 41354481\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Huang J, Rong SK, Qian J, Xiong B, Yao YQ, Du JL, She Q. Extracorporeal focused ultrasound targeted renal denervation<\/strong><\/a>. Zhonghua Xin Xue Guan Bing Za Zhi. 2025 Nov 24;53(11):1212-1215. doi: 10.3760\/cma.j.cn112148-20250715-00508. PMID: 41287290 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Kauffman EC, Lewis K, Hajiran A, Campbell SC. Renal Histotripsy and the Role of the Urologist<\/strong><\/a>. J Urol. 2025 Oct 27:101097JU0000000000004827. doi: 10.1097\/JU.0000000000004827. PMID: 41144821 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Eigner E, Malshy K, Bandari J, Fazaa N, Nsair A, Hines L, Atallah M, Joseph JV, Rappold PM. Histotripsy in the Management of RCC: A New Frontier in Focused Therapies<\/strong><\/a>. Clin Genitourin Cancer. 2025 Aug;23(4):102360. doi: 10.1016\/j.clgc.2025.102360. Epub 2025 Apr 16. PMID: 40367635 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Torres TP, Liakopoulos I, Balomenos V, Grigoriadis S, Papakonstantinou O, Kelekis N, Filippiadis D. Adjunctive techniques for renal cell carcinoma ablation: an update<\/strong><\/a>. Front Radiol. 2025 Mar 17;5:1559411. doi: 10.3389\/fradi.2025.1559411. eCollection 2025. PMID: 40165795<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kisting AL, Zlevor AM, Falk KL, Kisting MA, Laklouk IA, Wagner MG, White JK, Winterholler JE, Jentink MS, Abel EJ, Knavel Koepsel EM, Hinshaw JL, Swietlik JF, Mao L, Minesinger GM, Laeseke PF, Ziemlewicz TJ, Lee FT Jr. Histotripsy of the Proximal Ureter and Renal Pelvis: Evaluation of Urothelial Injury in a Porcine Survival Model<\/strong><\/a>. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2025 Mar;36(3):512-520.e1. doi: 10.1016\/j.jvir.2024.11.028. Epub 2024 Dec 9. PMID: 39662616 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ponomarchuk E, Thomas G, Song M, Wang YN, Totten S, Schade G, Thiel J, Bruce M, Khokhlova V, Khokhlova T. Advancing Boiling Histotripsy Dose in Ex Vivo And In Vivo Renal Tissues Via Quantitative Histological Analysis and Shear Wave Elastography<\/strong><\/a>. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2024 Dec;50(12):1936-1944. doi: 10.1016\/j.ultrasmedbio.2024.08.022. Epub 2024 Sep 23. PMID: 39317625<\/p>\n\n\n\n Khandpur U, Haile B, Makary MS. Early-Stage Renal Cell Carcinoma Locoregional Therapies: Current Approaches and Future Directions<\/strong><\/a>. Clin Med Insights Oncol. 2024 Oct 18;18:11795549241285390. doi: 10.1177\/11795549241285390. eCollection 2024. PMID: 39435052 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tsai SH, Kan WC, Jhen RN, Chang YM, Kao JL, Lai HY, Liou HH, Shiao CC. Secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic kidney disease: A narrative review focus on therapeutic strategy<\/a><\/strong>. Clin Med (Lond). 2024 Sep;24(5):100238. doi: 10.1016\/j.clinme.2024.100238. Epub 2024 Aug 30. PMID: 39208984 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ponomarchuk E, Thomas G, Song M, Wang YN, Totten S, Schade G, Thiel J, Bruce M, Khokhlova V, Khokhlova T. Advancing Boiling Histotripsy Dose in Ex Vivo And In Vivo Renal Tissues Via Quantitative Histological Analysis and Shear Wave Elastography<\/strong><\/a>. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2024 Sep 23:S0301-5629(24)00333-8. doi: 10.1016\/j.ultrasmedbio.2024.08.022. PMID: 39317625 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dai T, Wang Q, Zhu L, Luo Q, Yang J, Meng X, Wang H, Sun Z. Combined UTMD-Nanoplatform for the Effective Delivery of Drugs to Treat Renal Cell Carcinoma<\/strong><\/a>. Int J Nanomedicine. 2024 Aug 21;19:8519-8540. doi: 10.2147\/IJN.S459960. eCollection 2024. PMID: 39185349 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Chan VW, Ng HH, Wah TM. Image-Guided Ablation of Renal Masses: Challenges to Produce High-Quality Evidence and Future Directions<\/a><\/strong>. Semin Intervent Radiol. 2024 Jul 10;41(2):144-153. doi: 10.1055\/s-0044-1787163. eCollection 2024 Apr. PMID: 38993603 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Rosnitskiy PB, Khokhlova TD, Schade GR, Sapozhnikov OA, Khokhlova VA. Treatment Planning and Aberration Correction Algorithm for HIFU Ablation of Renal Tumors<\/strong><\/a>. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2024 Jan 17;PP. doi: 10.1109\/TUFFC.2024.3355390. PMID: 38231825 <\/p>\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 kidney tumors depend on the type of the tumor, but typical approaches are partial or complete surgical removal. Radiation, arterial embolization or chemotherapy may also be considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\nClinical Trials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
See a list of laboratory research sites ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFind a Treatment Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Notable Papers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n