Boiling histotripsy as a non-invasive non-thermal approach for treatment of human colon cancer tumors: an ex vivo proof-of-conceptстатья
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Дата последнего поиска статьи во внешних источниках: 23 января 2026 г.
Аннотация:Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer globally and is frequently diagnosed at metastatic stages. As an alternative to the current standard of care, a novel high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)-based boiling histotripsy (BH) method has a potential to provide an ultrasound (US)-guided approach for non-invasive mechanical fractionation of CRC metastases and enhancement of anti-tumor immune response for inoperable primary CRC. Methods: Young’s modulus of the autopsy human sigmoid colon cancer was first measured using shear wave elastography. Volumetric BH lesion was then produced in the cancer sample ex vivo using a 2-MHz 9-element annular array (67.5° focusing angle) targeting a 3D-grid (5×5 foci across two transverse layers with 1-mm spacing) under B-mode US-guidance. Each focus received 150 pulses of 1-ms duration (peak positive/negative pressures and shock amplitude P+/P/As= 91/-13/78MPa, acoustic power and initial intensity within the pulse W0=125.5W and I0=2.7W/cm2) delivered at 0.1-s intervals (1% duty cycle). The obtained lesion was analyzed via B-mode imaging and histologically with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome. Results: Young’s modulus of the autopsy CRC sample was 38±10kPa and aligned with clinical values for rectal adenocarcinomas. BH treatment was successfully guided in real-time using B-mode US: the treated area was hyperechoic during BH and hypoechoic post-treatment. Histology confirmed the presence of intact mucinous colon carcinoma outside the BH lesion, and fractionated cells and damaged stroma with disrupted collagen fibers within the lesion. Conclusions: This ex vivo pilot study demonstrates the potential of BH for non-invasive non-thermal US-guided treatment for colorectal cancer and metastases.