Ultrasound against brain cancer: first results

Ultrasound-emitting implant may help brain cancer patients

Copper News based on WebMD materials: Novel Brain Cancer Treatment Taps Into Sound Waves

Scientists from France have developed an innovative device that can make a breakthrough in the treatment of brain cancer. The main problem with this disease is resistance to therapy, since the hemato–encephalic barrier, which usually protects the brain from toxins in the blood, also does not pass the molecules of the active chemotherapeutic substance.

The SonoCloud implantable product emits ultrasonic waves that make this barrier thinner, respectively, it becomes easier for molecules to pass through it – this can help not only in the treatment of cancer, but also other diseases, for example, Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists have repeatedly conducted research on the interaction of ultrasound and chemotherapy for brain cancer, including using SonoCloud, but the results of testing the device on humans were not known. The principle of operation of the device is as follows: a mini-emitter is implanted into the skull next to the tumor, which causes the microbubbles introduced during therapy to vibrate – and their movement destroys the connections between the cells of the hemato-encephalic barrier, helping the drug to overcome this obstacle. Two minutes of low-intensity ultrasound exposure is enough to "open" the barrier for 6 hours, during which the patient can receive more effective therapy. The concentration of the active substance entering the brain increases 5-7 times when exposed to ultrasound. The device must be turned on before each session.

Previously, it was tested only on 4 people with glioblastoma, the most dangerous type of brain cancer. No specific results have been published. Now the manufacturers – the Paris–based company CarThera - report that the implant was implanted immediately to 15 patients who had previously been diagnosed with a recurrence of glioblastoma. After six months, during which patients underwent monthly carboplatin chemotherapy, tumor growth stopped in 9 patients. Despite the fact that the test results are encouraging, manufacturers and doctors say that further research is needed – in particular, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of penetration through the weakened barrier of toxins and infectious agents, from which it is designed to protect brain tissue. It is also necessary to establish whether the effect does not increase the side effects of chemotherapy.

The next clinical trials, the head of CarThera, Frederic Sottilini, hopes to conduct in 2017.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru  17.06.2016