Cancer Treatment With Sound Waves

Cancer treatment methods are always being studied and improved to provide patients with the most effective ways of destroying cancer. Sound waves are being evaluated as a possible new technique to rid the body of cancer.

Identification

• The technique of using sound waves for cancer treatment is called high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Sound waves can pass harmlessly through the body and destroy cancerous tumors.

Function

• HIFU therapy targets cancer cells in regions deep in the body, like the prostate, breast and liver, and offers a safer alternative to surgery and radiotherapy to fight cancer.

Features

• High frequency sound waves heat up the targeted tissue in the body. By focusing the treatment to specific cancer areas, surrounding parts of the body are left unharmed.

Potential

• HIFU is still in experimental stages. A clinical trial conducted at the University College Hospital in London and the Princess Grace Hospital in London used HIFU to treat 172 men with prostate cancer. A year later, 159 men were followed up, and ninety-two percent had no recurrence.

Further Trials

• The technique is still being evaluated for its effectiveness compared to other standard cancer treatments. Cancer Research UK is funding studies comparing HIFU to other treatments.