Memorial Cancer Institute to Attack Liver Tumors with Ultrasound Waves

The latest advancement in the treatment of liver cancer is liquifying tumors with high-intensity ultrasound waves in a completely non-invasive fashion. The new approach provides additional options for patients with the difficult diagnoses of malignant liver tumors, according to Omar Llaguna, MD, a surgical oncologist with the Memorial Cancer Institute at Memorial Healthcare System.

The FDA-approved technology, known as the Edison Histotripsy System, is expected to arrive at Memorial in May and could immediately benefit hundreds of cancer patients. Llaguna and his colleagues will be among the few specialists in South Florida with the training and equipment required to deploy the non-invasive, limited morbidity approach.

“The ultrasound technology is highly targeted, enabling us to generate a bubble cloud that disrupts and damages cancer cells in the liver, effectively liquifying the mass for the body to eliminate,” said Dr. Llaguna, an expert in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. “Imagine an underwater tornado within the tumor that eliminates the diseased cells while preserving healthy tissue, blood vessels, and bile ducts around it.”

Since the Edison system is non-invasive, patients can undergo treatment without the need for needles, radiation, or surgery, meaning less pain, faster recovery, and reduced risk of complications. It is a complement to, not a replacement for, traditional chemotherapy, which remains the standard of care for most GI cancers.

The histotripsy procedure is performed under general anesthesia, not due to pain, but to ensure patient stillness. During the treatment, surgical oncologists use a robotic arm to sequentially destroy the tumor. Since there are no incisions involved, there is minimal risk of infection and no concerns about scarring, allowing patients to return home the same day. Clinical trials have shown an impressive 85-95% overall success rate.

Memorial will initially use histotripsy to target primary liver tumors, as well as cancer that has metastasized to the liver from other parts of the body. Histotripsy for tumors in the kidneys, prostate, and pancreas are currently under investigation as potential targets for ultrasound treatment.

“It’s uncommon to find an aggressive treatment that doesn’t elevate risk, but this one is different,” said Dr. Llaguna. “Of course, we’ll continue to monitor patients after the procedure since what might be a cure for some might only slow the progression of cancer in others,” he said.

Memorial will house the Edison system at Memorial Hospital West, where Dr. Llaguna primarily practices, near Memorial Cancer Institute. Christopher Gannon, MD, Memorial’s chief of surgical oncology, and Gabriel Ologun, MD, complete the team offering histotripsy as a treatment option for patients with primary or metastatic liver cancers.

For more information about histotripsy and the forthcoming approach at Memorial, or if you are a physician interested in making a patient referral, please contact Memorial’s Division of Surgical Oncology at 954-844-9520.