{"id":2930,"date":"2025-03-12T22:28:05","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T22:28:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/blog\/?p=2930"},"modified":"2026-04-30T20:01:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T20:01:28","slug":"histotripsy-for-liver-cancer-innovative-cancer-treatment-at-saint-johns-health-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/blog\/urology\/histotripsy-for-liver-cancer-innovative-cancer-treatment-at-saint-johns-health-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Histotripsy for liver cancer: Innovative cancer treatment at Saint John\u2019s Health Center"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pulsed ultrasound waves are expanding out-patient care and our multidisciplinary approach.<\/h2>\n

What is Histotripsy?<\/h3>\n

Histotripsy is a non-invasive medical procedure that uses high-intensity ultrasound waves to destroy tissue. It is a form of focused ultrasound therapy (FUS) that creates cavitation bubbles within the target tissue, leading to the mechanical disruption and destruction of cancer cells. It has recently been approved for the treatment of liver tumors. <\/p>\n

How does histotripsy treat liver cancer?<\/h3>\n

\"Histotripsy
Histotripsy for liver cancer works by destroying tumor cells using ultrasound.<\/figcaption><\/figure>Histotripsy is a cutting-edge form of ultrasound that utilizes pulsed sound waves to create “bubble clouds” from gases naturally found targeted tissues. These tiny bubble clouds form and collapse in microseconds, producing powerful mechanical forces that can effectively break down tissue at the cellular and sub-cellular levels. I.e., it pulverizes matter and, in this case, tumors in the liver.<\/p>\n

Patients undergoing histotripsy are given general anesthesia to control breathing and to minimize movements of targeted tumor(s). The procedure takes anywhere from 10 to 50 minutes per tumor.<\/p>\n

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“I tell them this is “Star Wars” technology because there are no cuts, there’s no poking, there there’s nothing that’s going inside you from outside. It’s all happening with a focused beam of ultrasound to destroy the tumors.” <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

– Jennifer Linehan, MD<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Who is the candidate for histotripsy?<\/h3>\n

Histotripsy is used exclusively for liver cancers currently. However, it can be any kind of liver tumor, whether it’s a primary tumor (a cancer that starts in the tumor) or another type of cancer that metastasized or spread to the tumor. Currently, histotripsy is evaluated in clinical trials for tumors in other organs. <\/p>\n

Each patient being considered for histotripsy is carefully evaluated by a multidisciplinary team made up of, surgical oncologist, interventional radiologist, radiation oncologist, and GI medical oncologist. <\/p>\n

This technology is intended to treat individual tumors, particularly in situations when surgery or some other treatment, such as ablation, would be too risky. <\/p>\n

How Histotripsy Kills Tumors and Cancer.<\/h2>\n