Researchers have developed a technique that uses sound waves to target and destroy cancer-causing tumors. The technique is called histotripsy, which mechanically destroys tumors through precisely controlled sound waves. Continue reading to know more about the study.
How Can Sound Waves Kill Cancer?
Sound waves are engineered to target and destroy only cancer cells, leaving healthy cells unharmed. The technique offers a dual approach to attacking cancers. The physical destruction of tumors via sound waves and the kickstarting of the body’s immune response. This has also helped doctors to detect tumors that couldn’t be found earlier.
Moreover, Histotripsy has been tested on rats with liver tumors, and the results have been promising. Tumors disappeared when the sound waves were 50-75% of the mass. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is another non-invasive cancer treatment that uses sound waves to kill cancer cells. HIFU delivers an intense beam of sound waves to a specific part of the cancerous Tumor. It further heats and destroys the cancer cells. However, HIFU is not suitable for every cancer, as it doesn’t pass through solid bone or air.
Zhen Xu, a professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan and an inventor of the histotripsy approach, said, “Injecting the debris into a second mouse has almost a vaccine-like property.” He added, “Mice that received this debris were surprisingly resistant to the growth of cancers.”
Side Effects Of The Aid
Clifford Cho, the vice chair of surgery at the University of Michigan and senior study author, said, “We found that histotripsy somehow not only kills cancer cells but causes them to undergo a unique pathway of cell death that draws the attention of the immune system.”
The use of sound in treating cancer is not new, but a growing body of research focuses on the treatment of tumors without harming normal cells. Histotripsy and HIFU are two promising techniques that offer medical treatment for patients without the harmful side effects of radiation and chemotherapy. As research in this area continues, it is possible that sound wave therapy could become a standard part of cancer treatment in the future.
Science has found a way to cure a deadly disease without any side-effect. It is an outstanding achievement and helpful for the ones in need. What do you think about the sound wave therapy? Do let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We’re waiting for your response. Stay tu ed for further updates.
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