The first patient in the National Health Service (NHS) to receive a groundbreaking treatment for liver cancer outside of clinical trials has been successfully treated at Addenbrooke”s Hospital in Cambridge. This innovative approach, known as histotripsy, utilizes ultrasound technology to target and destroy cancer cells with remarkable speed and precision.
Histotripsy works by generating microscopic gas bubbles within the tumor tissue. These bubbles form and collapse in rapid succession, effectively obliterating the cancerous cells. The entire procedure can be completed in approximately 30 minutes and does not require surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, allowing patients to spend significantly less time in the hospital.
The first NHS patient to undergo this treatment was 80-year-old Roger Jackson, a retired sales manager from Bedford. The procedure was conducted by Dr. Teik Choon See, a consultant interventional radiologist at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), earlier this month. Dr. See stated, “Histotripsy represents a major and exciting step forward in cancer treatment. It allows us to target tumors more precisely while sparing surrounding healthy tissue, offering patients a safer and faster alternative to traditional therapies.”
Dr. See further noted that in some cases, the process of breaking apart the tumor may activate the patient”s immune response, potentially aiding in the elimination of residual cancerous tissues. This offers a new sense of hope for patients facing difficult cancer diagnoses.
Jackson expressed his gratitude, saying, “I feel privileged to be the first NHS patient and to receive this care was an amazing experience. It is impressive to think that sound waves can treat cancer, without the need for patients like me to go through intensive surgery, at what already is a stressful time. I”m hugely grateful to the team at Addenbrooke”s for their specialist care and expertise.”
This treatment is the first to be performed following the fast-tracking of histotripsy technology in Great Britain, which received unmet clinical need authorization (Ucna) under the Innovative Devices Access Pathway. The Ucna, regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), allows for access to certain medical devices before they receive full regulatory approval.
Initially, Addenbrooke”s Hospital will provide this treatment to selected patients with primary and secondary liver cancers. Roland Sinker, chief executive of CUH, remarked, “Histotripsy represents a hugely exciting and new era of cancer innovation and care. With faster recovery times and shorter hospital stays, this not only reduces the strain on our hospital beds but also enables surgeons to concentrate on more complex cancer cases, thereby helping to reduce waiting times.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted the significance of this advancement, stating, “We are lighting the fuse beneath the technological revolution, transforming care for NHS patients. By slashing red tape, we”ve ensured this game-changing new cancer treatment has reached the NHS front line quicker, and I”m proud to say British patients are now the first in Europe to benefit.”
The histotripsy technology was developed in the United States and has already treated over 2,000 patients globally since receiving Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for liver tumor destruction in 2023. Ongoing studies are examining its efficacy on other types of cancer.
