From the January 2015 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Localizing the delivery of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy plays a significant role in the treatment of cancers, extending survival, and can lead to long-term remission. However, these positive outcomes are often achieved at the expense of the patient's quality of life - at least throughout the duration of the chemotherapy regimen. The systemic toxicity of chemotherapy can make it an undesirable or impractical course of treatment for many patients. Imagine a treatment modality that could enable localized chemotherapy, delivered in high concentration precisely where it is needed yet minimizing the systemic effects. Focused ultrasound has the potential to do just that.
In this process, a drug is encapsulated in or linked to carrier vehicles (e.g. microbubbles, liposomes, nanoparticles) that are sensitive to either elevated temperature or ultrasound pressure. This encapsulation prohibits the drug from interacting with its surroundings as it is injected into the bloodstream and diffuses throughout the body. During the procedure, ultrasound is focused on the target area (e.g. tumor), triggering the carriers to release the drug which is then quickly absorbed by the surrounding tissue. Triggering can be achieved by either mild thermal rise or through mechanical perturbations at the focus. Although the encapsulated drug is present throughout the entire body, the focal disruption of the carrier - the release of the drug from the carrier - enables very high drug concentration delivered to a precise location, while minimizing the systemic toxicity.
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Beyond ablation
The development trajectory of focused ultrasound is broadening beyond ablation as the technology moves toward the clinic. Hospital systems that wish to maintain a competitive edge in the new environment will benefit from its potential to reduce risks by replacing traditional surgery, optimize chemotherapy and immunotherapy, increase patient treatment rates, lower costs, and ultimately help improve the overall health of the population.
About the author: Jessica L. Foley, PhD, is the Scientific Director of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. Dr. Foley joined the Foundation in 2012 after completing a one-year AAAS Science and Technology
Policy Fellowship at the National Science Foundation. Prior to that, she was the Neuro Projects Manager and Clinical Marketing Manager at InSightec, one of the pioneering focused ultrasound medical device manufacturers. Other previous experience includes senior scientist at Medtronic. She has numerous publications, patents, and presentations at academic conferences in the field of focused ultrasound.
About the Focused Ultrasound Foundation: The Focused Ultrasound Foundation was created to improve the lives of millions of people worldwide by accelerating the development of this non-invasive technology. The Foundation works to clear the path to global adoption by coordinating and funding research, fostering collaboration, and building awareness among patients and professionals. The Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that focused ultrasound finds its place as a mainstream therapy for a range of conditions within years, not decades. Since its establishment in 2006, the Foundation has become the largest non-governmental source of funding for focused ultrasound research.
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