Ultrasonic therapy against pancreatic cancer

The growth of solid tumors is accompanied by the processes of proliferation and migration of cancer cells. Current treatments, including ionizing radiation, destroy malignant and healthy cells. A study has shown the effectiveness of ultrasound therapy in fighting cancer cells in cases of pancreatic cancer. The study opens the door to the development of new non-invasive treatments based on ultrasonic technology to paralyze the growth of solid tumors.

The research is the work of a team led by Iciar González from the Leonardo Torres Quevedo Institute of Physical and Information Technologies (ITEFI), which is dependent on the Higher Scientific Research Council (CSIC) in Spain.

González explains, “Our research raises for the first time the possibility of developing a new therapy based on non-ionizing ultrasonic technology, which means non-invasive, low-cost treatment, easy to implement and without collateral damage for patients.” Will happen.” ,

The researchers developed the study on in vitro samples of pancreatic cancer. “We applied a single dose of low-intensity ultrasound to samples of PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells for just twenty minutes and we were able to stop the collective and individual growth of cells in a monolayer for at least two days,” the researchers it is said. … “The use of ultrasonic waves under certain acoustic conditions for 15 or 20 minutes inhibited the ability of cell movement for a long time, more than 48 hours or even up to 3 days after treatment. In addition, we We also observed some inhibition of cell proliferation processes which we are currently analyzing in other experiments in our laboratories”, he added.

The title of the study is “Low-intensity continuous ultrasound to inhibit cancer cell migration”. And it has been published in the academic journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology.

The next step in this line of research and development will be in vivo testing with rats. The aim is to test the good results obtained in vitro in mice with different types of tumours.

The in vivo experiments with mice will be carried out in collaboration with researchers from Harvard University, the University of the Basque Country in the United States and the Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research in Spain, thanks to the use of a small ultrasonic device to each animal.

The ultimate goal is to demonstrate the efficacy and suitability of this therapy in clinical trials. (Source: Esther M. Garcia Pastor/CSIC)