GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Researchers at the University of Michigan say a new piece of technology that they refer to as a “tumor destroyer” more than met its goals in its most recent trial.
The latest results were recently published in the academic journal “Radiology.”
Tumor Destroyer? FDA approves tool that uses ultrasound to fight cancer
The tool, called Edison, performs a non-invasive procedure called histotripsy, which uses focused ultrasound to break down tumors. Researchers at U-M have been working on the tool for more than two decades. It received FDA approval late last year as alternative treatment for liver cancer.
The term histotripsy stems from the Greek terms of histo and tripsy. Histo means soft tissue and tripsy means to break down. The Edison uses focused ultrasound pulses to cause bubbles to grow in the tiny gas pockets within the target tissue, causing it to expand and eventually collapse under the stress, destroying the cells.
The latest trial included 44 people and 49 total tumors. The treatment was effective in 42 out of 44 patients, well above the performance goal of 70%. Only three of the 44 cases reported notable complications related to the procedure, below the 25% goal. However, two of the three cases are believed to be related to cancer and not the device.