Current and Future Clinical Applications of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a novel therapeutic modality that permits noninvasive treatment of various benign and malignant solid tumors, including prostatic cancer, uterine fibroids, hepatic tumors, renal tumors, breast cancers, and pancreatic cancers. Several preclinical and clinical studies have investigated the safety and efficacy of HIFU for treating solid tumors, including pancreatic cancer. The results of nonrandomized studies of HIFU therapy in patients with pancreatic cancer have suggested that HIFU treatment can effectively alleviate cancer-related pain without any significant complications. This noninvasive method of delivering ultrasound energy into the body has recently been evolving from a method for purely thermal ablation to harnessing the mechanical effects of HIFU to induce a systemic immune response and to enhance targeted drug delivery. This review provides a brief overview of HIFU, describes current clinical applications of HIFU for pancreatic cancer, and discusses future applications and challenges. (Gut Liver 2010;4(Suppl. 1):S57-61)

Phase-shift perfluorocarbon agents enhance high intensity focused ultrasound thermal delivery with reduced near-field heating

“…In some countries, HIFU is approved to treat prostate cancer, and in the U.S., HIFU is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of uterine fibroids (Ringold, 2004;Gedroyc and Anstee, 2007;Lukka et al, 2011). HIFU is also under preclinical investigation as a potential treatment option for tumor malignancies located in brain, liver, prostate, pancreas, bone, and breast (Hill and terHaar, 1995;Kennedy, 2005;Pauly et al, 2006;Wu et al, 2007;Kinsey et al, 2008;Maleke and Konofagou, 2008;Liberman et al, 2009;Fischer et al, 2010;Jang et al, 2010;Maleke and Konofagou, 2010;McDannold et al, 2010;Tempany et al, 2011). Because HIFU requires no invasive procedures, radiation, or chemotherapy, it offers advantages over standard cancer therapy.…”

HIFU for Palliative Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

“…HIFU ablation has been applied to treatment of a wide variety of both benign and malignant tumors including uterine fibroids, prostate cancer, liver tumors and other solid tumors that are accessible to ultrasound energy (7)(8)(9)(10). Preliminary studies have shown that HIFU may also be a useful modality for palliation of cancer-related pain in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (11)(12)(13)(14). The objective of this article is to provide an overview of the physical principles of HIFU therapy and to review the current status of clinical application of HIFU for pancreatic cancers.…”

Telematisch unterstützte Interventionen in der Onkologie

“…Die simultane Ultraschall-und MR-Bildgebung ermöglicht die gezielte Zerstö-rung derartiger Tumoren, wenn ein resektives Verfahren unmöglich ist. Angewandt wird das Verfahren in der Behandlung von HCC-Läsionen mit einer Erfolgsquote von etwa 50%, aber auch pankreatische Läsionen können erfolgreich behandelt werden [16]. Besondere Bedeutung besitzt die Applikation fokussierten Ultraschalls jedoch beim Prostatakarzinom, für welches es zu einer ernst zu nehmenden Alternative zur Resektion avancierte.…”