ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Over 800 thousand people are diagnosed with liver cancer every year worldwide, and it accounts for more than 700 thousand cancer deaths each year. Traditional treatment involves surgery, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy, immunotherapy or chemotherapy. Now, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic are using a new non-invasive approach to kill the tumors and keep patients alive.
Liver cancer is a rising epidemic, with over 41 thousand expected new cases this year, as well as almost 30 thousand liver cancer deaths.
The traditional treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, often come with significant side effects and lengthy recovery times. That’s why minimally invasive liver surgeon Doctor David Kwon at Cleveland Clinic is using a new FDA approved, non-invasive technology, called histotripsy, to eliminate the tumors.
Doctor Kwon says, “Histotripsy’s an ultrasonic-based energy device. It causes a cavitation with the ultrasonic pulse waves, and that cavitation causes microbubbles, and it is those microbubbles that causes frictional force through the cells and the cells die because of the production and disappearance of these microbubbles.”
The procedure is quick – taking only an hour to perform, compared to traditional surgery, which can take up to seven hours.
“Because of this non-invasive nature, the patients are able to get discharged very quickly. None of my patients, that I’ve treated so far, require any opioids,” says Doctor Kown
While more research is needed to fully understand the long-term benefits, this breakthrough offers a new, less invasive option for liver cancer patients. Experts are optimistic that non-invasive ultrasound therapy could soon become a standard treatment for some liver tumors.
Doctor Kwon says a few patients treated with histotripsy experience an immune boost, which is called the Abscopal Effect, after the procedure as well.
Contributors to this news report include: Adhalia Thomas, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-cancer/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353664
* For More Information, Contact: Caroline Auger, Public Relations
Cleveland Clinic
216-296-6012
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