Histotripsy for kidney Cancer

 Histotripsy uses microsecond bursts of focused ultrasound to create tiny bubbles inside a tumor. These bubbles rapidly expand and collapse, mechanically breaking apart cancer cells into a liquefied mixture that the body clears naturally.

Unlike heat-based therapies or surgery, histotripsy is:

• Non-invasive: Delivered entirely outside the body.
   
• Non-thermal: Avoids heat-related injury to blood vessels and normal kidney tissue
   
• Precise: Guided in real-time with ultrasound imaging.
   
• Organ-sparing: Preserves surrounding healthy liver tissue.

•  Incision-free — no surgery, no needles, no implants.
   
• Protects ducts and vessels — safe near structures where heat or radiation may fail.
   
• Fast recovery — often outpatient, minimal downtime.
   
• Reduced complications — lower risk of infection, bleeding, or bile leaks.
   
• Effective local control — clinical trials show ~90% tumor control at 12 months for liver tissue.
   
• Potential immune stimulation — intact tumor antigens may activate the immune system for systemic benefit.
   
• Repeatable — can be used again if new lesions appear.

•  Targeting
  Imaging pinpoints the tumor with precision.
   
• Cavitation
  Focused ultrasound pulses generate a “bubble cloud” inside the tumor. The collapse of bubbles mechanically destroys cancer cells.
   
• Clearance
  The body naturally clears the destroyed tissue over days to weeks, leaving surrounding vessels and ducts unharmed.

 Typically Eligible Patients:

• Kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) typically less than 4cm in size.

• Patients not eligible for surgery at any sized cancer.
   
• Patients wishing to preserve kidney function.
   
• Patients wishing to avoid invasive surgery.
   
• Patients seeking non-invasive, organ-preserving therapy.
   

May Not Be Eligible:

• Tumors obscured by ribs, lungs, or bowel (poor acoustic window).
   
• Severe bleeding disorders.

• Active infection or uncontrolled medical conditions.

•  HOPE4LIVER Trial: Prospective study demonstrated ~90% local tumor control at 12 months. HOPE4KIDNEY trial in progress.
   
• Safety Profile: Minimal complications, with most patients discharged the same day.
   
• Unique Strengths: Effective even near major vessels and ducts, where thermal ablation and radiation struggle.
   
• Immune Activation: Preclinical and early patient data suggest systemic immune response and possible abscopal effects.

We will make a reasonable effort to obtain insurance approval for your procedure. The cost of histotripsy is $30,000.