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Focused Ultrasound Targets Pancreatic and Brain Cancers; Efficacy, Cost Remain Hurdles
Focused ultrasound technology shows promise in treating hard-to-target cancers like glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer, with clinical trial advances expected within three years. While nearly 200 applications are under research, broader adoption hinges…
Targeting Difficult Cancers
Precisely aimed sound waves could significantly advance the treatment of pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, within the next few years. Researchers globally, including those in Hong Kong, are investigating whether this method can effectively manage tumors that are particularly challenging to treat.
Dr. Neal Kassell, founder and chairman of the US-based Focused Ultrasound Foundation, anticipates that more effective treatments for glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer represent the next significant breakthrough. He expressed strong optimism regarding these developments. Kassell projected that key clinical trial progress for these difficult-to-treat cancers could emerge in approximately three years. He also noted Alzheimer's disease as another area with substantial potential for this technology.
Clinical Evidence and Market Adoption Barriers
Despite the promising outlook, Kassell acknowledged that the clinical evidence for focused ultrasound across many diseases remains limited. He identified a need for more data confirming the technology's safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, patient awareness is a significant challenge; most individuals are unfamiliar with focused ultrasound.
The technology operates by directing multiple acoustic energy beams to a specific internal target. The combined energy at this focal point can destroy tissue, modulate brain circuits, or temporarily open the blood-brain barrier to facilitate drug delivery to the brain. Kassell analogized the process to a magnifying glass concentrating sunlight, but instead uses an acoustic lens to focus ultrasound energy with high precision deep within the body.
Expanding Applications and Funding Initiatives
The Focused Ultrasound Foundation's 2026 State of the Field report indicates that nearly 200 potential applications for the technology are currently under global research. In the past year, researchers identified 18 new potential uses, bringing the total number of investigated indications to 196, with 12 progressing to first-in-human clinical trials.
The foundation actively organizes and funds both preclinical research and clinical trials, aiming to accelerate the development and adoption of focused ultrasound. Its mandate includes supporting high-risk, early-stage projects that might struggle to attract funding from other sources.
Hong Kong has joined international efforts to expand the applications of focused ultrasound beyond its more established uses. In April, Gleneagles Hospital conducted the city's first two clinical trial procedures for pancreatic cancer using histotripsy, a focused ultrasound technique that destroys tumor tissue. These investigational procedures were performed on patients for whom conventional surgery was not viable. One trial involved doctors targeting both the primary pancreatic tumor and liver metastases in a single procedure.
Kassell suggested that the technology is more likely to complement existing treatments and medicines rather than replace them. However, translating this potential into widespread clinical use will depend on factors like cost and patient access. These constraints are evident in Hong Kong's current histotripsy services, where eligible liver cancer patients, even with a Li Ka Shing Foundation subsidy, pay US$6,374 for treatment at Gleneagles, plus additional estimated costs.
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