High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a revolutionary treatment for cancer by killing cancer cells with a high intensity ultrasound beam. The beams are made up of high frequency sound waves which are generated by a machine and are then focused directly at cancer cells, thereby killing the cells.
Although this technology has been around for almost 50 years, doctors have only started using it in order to treat many kinds of cancer in the recent years. Since the treatment specifically targets cancer cells, it hopes to lessen the side-effects present in existing cancer treatments. Because this treatment doesn't do much damage to normal, healthy cells, researchers are now looking at HIFU's viability in patients with inoperable cancers; however, no definite proof as to the treatment's efficiency in inoperable cancers has been discovered.
Presently, HIFU is only being used in cancers with one single tumor, or tumors clumped together at one site. The technology is not sophisticated enough in its current state to treat tumors which are widespread. Since HIFU cannot pass through air or bone, it is not recommended for patients with cancer that has spread to other parts of their bodies.
When the high intensity ultrasound beam is targeted at a certain site, it increases the temperature of that area drastically. Due to this rise in temperature, the cancer cells and diseased tissue get destroyed through coagulation necrosis, or cell death through lack of oxygen in the area.
Cancers which HIFU can treat include cancers in the bladder, pancreas, liver, kidney and prostate. This treatment is not readily available to everybody and is presently only available in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Romania, Bulgaria, China and Russia.
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Overview,Intensity,Focused,Ultrasound,Treatment,Cancers
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