If you’ve been diagnosed with a liver tumor, histotripsy may be an option.
If you have been diagnosed with a liver tumor, your health care provider may talk to you about histotripsy. This treatment doesn’t involve any incisions, needles or surgery. Rather, it uses focused ultrasound waves to precisely target and destroy the tumor in the body.
At Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, we use histotripsy as one of many advanced tools to treat cancer and other tumors. Our team is trained in this new technology and uses it to offer safe and effective care.
What is histotripsy and how does it work?
Histotripsy (pronounced HISS-toe-trip-see) is a non-invasive treatment that uses focused ultrasound waves to locate and destroy cancer tissue. That means no incisions, no needles and no radiation.
Histotripsy uses a robotic platform to deliver sound waves through your skin and tissue, targeting the liver tumor directly. The sound waves create tiny bubbles - called “bubble clouds” - inside the tumor. These bubbles grow and quickly burst, disintegrating the tumor. Your body naturally clears destroyed tissue over time, similar to how a bruise heals.
Histotripsy was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2023 for the treatment of liver tumors.
Who is a good candidate for histotripsy treatment?
Your surgeon or oncologist may recommend histotripsy if:
You have a liver tumor that is hard to reach or too risky with surgery.
Other treatments like surgery, thermal ablation or radiation are not possible or too risky.
You have tumors that are smaller than 4 centimeters in size.
Histotripsy is often used to treat:
Primary liver cancer, like hepatocellular carcinoma or cholangiocarcinoma (cancer of the bile ducts)
Cancers that have metastasized (spread) to the liver
What are the pros and cons of histotripsy for liver tumors?
Benefits of histotripsy
No incisions, needles or radiation
Outpatient procedure
Minimal risk of infection
No scarring
Gentle on healthy tissue near the tumor
Preserves major blood vessels and bile ducts near the tumor
Most people recover quickly and experience less pain than with surgery
Possible side effects of histotripsy
Temporary soreness or mild pain
How is a histotripsy procedure performed?
Planning: Your care team will meet with you beforehand to go over the procedure and answer any questions. You may need imaging tests, like an MRI or CT scan, to map the treatment area. This helps them plan exactly where the sound waves will go. A pre-treatment ultrasound will also be done to determine eligibility for the therapy.
Preparation: On the day of the procedure, you’ll lie on a special table and receive general anesthesia to stay asleep during the procedure. A soft cover with water-based gel is placed on your belly to help ultrasound waves pass through.
Programming: Your surgeon or radiologist will program the robot to target the tumor precisely.
Treatment: The procedure takes 10 to 90 minutes depending on the tumor size, location and number of tumors being treated. The robot delivers ultrasound energy directly to the tumor.
Recovery: Most patients go home the same day. You may return to normal activities soon, although your provider will give you specific instructions. Some soreness is normal and usually goes away quickly.
Follow-up: You’ll have follow-up appointments to track healing and the results of the procedure. Over time, your liver should replace the destroyed tumor tissue with healthy cells.
What are the alternatives if histotripsy isn’t an option?
If histotripsy isn’t right for you, your care team will guide you through other options, which may include:
Is histotripsy being used for other types of cancer?
Histotripsy is currently only FDA-approved for use in liver tumors. However, researchers are studying its use in other areas of the body, including different types of cancer. Its precision and non-invasive approach shows promise for future applications.
Why choose Banner MD Anderson for histotripsy treatment?
Since 2011, Banner Health has partnered with MD Anderson Cancer Center - one of the top cancer centers in the country. This partnership brings advanced treatments and research directly to patients in Arizona and Northern Colorado.
At Banner MD Anderson:
Our specialists are among the first in the region to offer histotripsy.
You’ll receive care from a multidisciplinary team of surgical and medical oncologists, radiologists and gastroenterologists.
We tailor your treatment to your specific needs.
We offer access to clinical trials that may allow you to try new treatments that are not yet widely available.
Ready to learn more about histotripsy or schedule a consultation?
Request an appointment: Call us at (480) 601-5847.
Insurance and referrals: We’ll coordinate with your provider to make it easy.
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