NEW ORLEANS – Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at The Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center in New Orleans is now offering histotripsy treatment, a revolutionary advancement for treating liver tumors, for eligible patients with certain liver diseases.
Histotripsy is a non-invasive treatment, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2023, that uses ultrasound energy to destroy liver tumors in a single outpatient procedure. This includes primary liver tumors originating in the liver, or metastasized tumors resulting from another cancer spreading to the liver. A machine with image guided sonic beam therapy uses proprietary technology and advanced imaging to deliver non-invasive, personalized histotripsy treatments with exceptional precision and control. Histotripsy is a new option for patients with liver tumors who may not be a candidate for surgery or other traditional therapies.
“At Ochsner MD Anderson, we are proud to expand treatment options available to patients with liver tumors,” said Zoe Larned, MD, medical director, Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Histotripsy provides a non-invasive approach to treating liver tumors that may be otherwise difficult to treat surgically, and it can be often safely combined with systemic therapies, giving our patients access to some of the latest technological treatments close to home.”
How histotripsy works
Eligibility is carefully determined by a physician considering several factors such as the number, size and location of tumors. The histotripsy procedure avoids the ionizing energy of radiation, heat damage from thermal technologies, and incisions or needles from traditional treatments.
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During a histotripsy procedure, high intensity ultrasound waves are directed at the liver tumor.
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These ultrasound waves create tiny microbubbles, or air pockets, inside the tumor tissue.
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As the microbubbles rapidly form and collapse due to the high intensity ultrasound waves, they produce a force and a “bubble cloud” that breaks down and destroys the targeted tumor cells, all without harming nearby healthy tissue.
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Most patients benefit from single-session therapy, with many able to return home the same day and quickly resume normal activities.
The effectiveness of histotripsy has been studied for more than two decades in clinical trials. In recent studies conducted in Europe and the United States, histotripsy has been used successfully in humans to destroy primary and metastatic liver tumors, leading to its FDA approval for these indications. Other future potential uses are expected for this innovative technology, with results from ongoing clinical trials. Currently, Ochsner MD Anderson is one of only a select number of hospitals in the U.S offering this treatment.
Ochsner MD Anderson liver tumor patients benefit from a truly comprehensive and coordinated care experience. Each patient’s care plan is developed and managed by a multidisciplinary team of experts including interventional radiologists and image-guided therapy specialists, hepatologists, medical oncologists, surgical oncologists and radiation oncologists. This collaborative approach ensures that each patient receives the most effective and personalized treatment available.
Expert cancer care for the community
Ochsner MD Anderson offers groundbreaking research and innovative therapies, including access to select clinical trials available to eligible patients as the only Phase I clinical trial program in Louisiana. Ochsner MD Anderson’s expert team provides holistic care to patients with services to treat the entire person.
For more than 80 years, Ochsner has been dedicated to cancer research and new cancer therapy development, bringing innovations to treatment with more clinical trials than anywhere else in Louisiana. It is accredited by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American College of Radiology, the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (Bone Marrow Transplant) and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. Cancer care at Ochsner is recognized by U.S. News & World Report, ranking as high performing in leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma treatment and colon, lung and prostate cancer surgeries.
To learn more about patient care at Ochsner MD Anderson and this innovative treatment option please visit ochsner.org/cancercare.
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About Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center
Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center combines the expertise of Ochsner Health, Louisiana’s leader in cancer care, with the world-renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center. As the only fully integrated cancer program in Louisiana based on MD Anderson’s standards and protocols, it offers patients access to cutting-edge treatments, innovative clinical trials, and personalized care plans. With a multidisciplinary team of specialists and advanced technology, Ochsner MD Anderson provides comprehensive care for both common and rare cancers across multiple locations in southeastern Louisiana. This partnership ensures patients receive leading cancer care close to home.
About Ochsner Health
Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in Louisiana, Mississippi and across the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. Ochsner is nationally recognized for inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities through expertise, quality and digital connectivity. In 2024, more than 40,000 dedicated team members and 4,900 employed and affiliated physicians at Ochsner cared for 1.6 million people from every state in the nation and 63 countries. To learn more about how Ochsner empowers people to get well and stay well, visit www.ochsner.org.