Even as the scourge of cancer spreads, medical science is constantly coming up with new technologies to aid recovery. High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) treatment holds much promise in this area. Dr Yuvaraja T.B., head of robotic surgery and oncologist at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, explains how this treatment works:
"AI has improved HIFU treatment: HIFU uses ultrasound waves to treat cancers. We use a high intensity machine because we have to generate heat from the ultrasound waves. It is the heat that kills the cancer cells. That is the basic principle behind HIFU treatment. As a scientific principle, this has been there for 10-15 years. But unfortunately, the machines being manufactured weren’t accurate and led to a lot of side-effects. skin device
The latest HIFU machines come equipped with AI sensors and technology. They are extremely accurate, with almost negligible side-effects. AI helps the machine locate the cancer cells accurately, thereby preventing harm to the healthy cells. The cost of HIFU treatment is the same as that of surgery."
For only one type of cancer: As of now, HIFU treatment is being used for prostate cancer alone. However, exploration is on for possible use in other cancers, such as breast cancer and uterine cancer, fibroids, and also for non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. Suitability will take time to establish as each cancer has its own specific treatments and challenges.
HIFU better than surgery: Recurrence of cancer after HIFU treatment cannot be completely ruled out because once cancer hits an organ, new tumours could form in the future. So, there is no zero-risk guarantee for the future. For prostate cancer, there is a 6-10 per cent risk of developing a new tumour in the other part of the gland. But that is more common five to 15 years later. On the other hand, surgically removing the entire gland even when the tumour is small doesn’t make sense because the chances of recurrence are low. One can treat any possible future recurrence with HIFU .
Conditions apply: When deploying HIFU, other treatments like medicine, chemotherapy or surgery are not needed. But it is not yet a treatment that can be used in every case of prostate cancer. If the cancer has spread outside the prostate, then HIFU is currently not suitable. For cancer within the prostate, one has to determine whether it is low, intermittent or high risk. It also matters whether the cancer is in one or both sides of the prostate. HIFU is used for tumour in only one side of the prostate and occupying less than half of that lobe. In case both lobes are affected by cancer, we don’t use HIFU as it becomes extensive and not as effective.
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