The NHS is set to become the only health system in Europe to use ground-breaking histotripsy technology, which removes the need for surgery by firing pulses to form micro bubbles from gases
A “Star Wars” treatment which zaps hard-to-reach cancers using sound waves is being trialled on the NHS. The technology, called histotripsy, removes the need for surgery and instead fires pulses to form micro bubbles from gases within the tumour.
These “bubble clouds” expand and contract in microseconds to destroy the cancer cells. The targeted ultrasound technology currently only available in the US will now be trialled by the NHS on liver cancer patients in Cambridge. If successful regulators say it will be a “a major step forward” which it is hoped could be used to destroy pancreatic and kidney cancers.
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The Government says Health Secretary Wes Streeting intervened to authorise controlled early access to the device, as part of a new Innovative Devices Access Pathway (ADIP) programme.
Mr Streeting, who previously had kidney cancer, told the Mirror: “I’ve slashed red tape, so NHS patients will be the first in Europe to benefit from a revolutionary and non-invasive liver cancer treatment – that uses ultrasound technology to destroy tumours – years earlier than planned.
“Patients stand to see faster recovery times, fewer dangerous complications, and shorter hospital stays. We are slashing red tape, so game-changing new treatments reach the NHS front line quicker.”
In contrast to invasive surgery, the targeted ultrasound can take just 30 minutes with “limited or no pain” and involves a quick recovery. It destroys tissue at cellular and sub-cellular levels while avoiding the ionising damage of radiation or the heat damage from thermal treatments.
The bubble clouds cause the cancerous mass to break apart, destroying tumor cells and leaving the debris to be eliminated by the immune system.
US cancer expert Dr Jennifer Linehan, of St John’s Cancer Institute, said the device could in future also be used to pulverise prostate and bladder cancers. She said: “This technology kills tumours without even touching you. Sometimes when I’m talking to patients I tell them this is ‘Star Wars technology’ because there are no cuts, there’s no poking, there’s nothing that’s going inside you from outside. It’s all happening with a focused beam of ultrasound to destroy the tumours.”
The first cancer patients in Europe to access the treatment under such a scheme will be treated for their liver cancer at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge this summer. The machine, manufactured by HistoSonics, is expected to be fully installed later this year, where it will be used initially to treat patients with primary and secondary liver tumours. Wider research on how this could potentially treat tumours in other organs is underway.
James Pound, innovation director at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said: “We’ve shown we can get promising technologies to patients faster without compromising safety. It’s a major step forward for patients with liver cancer and shows how the UK can be a frontrunner in supporting responsible innovation that meets real clinical need.”
Patients undergoing histotripsy are given general anesthesia to control breathing and to minimize movements of targeted tumours An evaluation of the NHS pilot will be published later this year by the Department of Health and Social Care. Histotripsy has already been approved to treat liver tumors by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Roland Sinker, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals said: “Histotripsy is an exciting new technology that will make a huge difference to patients. By offering this non-invasive, more targeted treatment we can care for more people as outpatients and free up time for surgeons to treat more complex cases.
“The faster recovery times mean patients will be able to return to their normal lives more quickly, which will also reduce pressure on hospital beds, helping us ensure that patients are able to receive the right treatment at the right time.”
Wes Streeting – Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
As a cancer survivor, I know what an incredible impact medical technology can have. After I was diagnosed with kidney cancer, I was treated by a world-class surgeon equipped with a robot. Together, they saved my life.
The NHS is abuzz with innovation and creativity. We’re already witnessing the trial of an AI-driven blood test to spot common cancers, the roll-out of a game-changing system to bring cancer patients’ data together, and the unprecedented expansion of the NHS app. It is my job to put the wind in the sails and give the world’s greatest minds the freedom to unleash tomorrow’s tech.
To strengthen Britain’s role as a global leader, those innovators must be freed from the shackles of stifling regulatory processes. Of course, we need to keep patients safe, but technology is moving quickly, and so must we.
That’s why I’ve already slashed red tape, so NHS patients will be the first in Europe to benefit from a revolutionary and non-invasive liver cancer treatment – developed by US-based company HistoSonics – that uses ultrasound technology to destroy tumours, years earlier than planned. Patients stand to see faster recovery times, fewer dangerous complications, and shorter hospital stays.
Soon, we will publish the 10 Year Health Plan – a once in a generation strategy to save and rebuild the NHS, delivering a health service fit for the future. This government will unleash innovation to speed the shift from analogue to digital, and tackle the bureaucracy holding back our public services
No longer will the creativity needed to bring our NHS into the modern age be stifled. Through our Plan for Change, we will get the latest tech to our NHS frontline, put patients first and develop a 21st century health service that’s, once again, the envy of the world.