By David Marks
Liver cancer rates across the U.S. are surging. In fact, the American Cancer Society predicts there will be more than 42,000 new cases and 30,000 deaths from this condition this year alone.
But important and exciting advances in treatment are bringing new hope.
There’s a new liver cancer treatment that doesn’t require surgery or radiation
Starting in October 2026, AdventHealth Cancer Institute Shawnee Mission will begin treating liver cancer patients with histotripsy, a cutting-edge, FDA-approved procedure that uses ultrasound to treat liver cancer.
Histotripsy aims highly-focused, high-intensity sound waves at liver tumors from outside the body — no incisions or needles involved. As ultrasound waves converge on the targeted tissue, the rapid expansion and collapse of gas micro-bubbles creates a bubble cloud which induces instantaneous cancer cell death.
“Histotripsy does not rely on heat, cutting or radiation. This means that for liver tumors near sensitive and important ducts and vessels in the liver, complete destruction of cancer is possible without harming these important structures. Additionally, the procedure is totally non-invasive,” said Benjamin Johnston, MD, FACS, Surgical Oncology, AdventHealth Cancer Institute Shawnee Mission.
Overall, the procedure works best for patients with no more than three tumors, tumors smaller than four centimeters and tumors that aren’t blocked by the rib cage, lungs or GI tract — since an ultrasound can’t penetrate bone or air.
Some of the benefits of histotripsy are:
- Completely non-invasive to reduce the risk of bleeding or infection complications
- Single therapy session for most cases
- Multiple treatments possible within a single session
- Precise treatment that tends to preserve critical vascular structures and liver health
- Tumor agnostic, allowing patients with many tumor types and disease states to be treated
- Many patients return home the day of the procedure, resuming normal activity quickly
“The procedure is generally safe, with very low risks of serious complications,” said Dr. Johnston.
The Histotripsy procedure is painless and takes place while patients are asleep
Histotripsy is an extremely precise procedure. General anesthesia is primarily used to prevent patient movement and tumor motion during the procedure.
Using ultrasound, specialists are able to locate tumors inside the liver and see these tumors on a screen. Sound pulses are then precisely directed to the targeted area. The specialists watch this happen in real time on the screen, so they can see the treatment zone forming and make sure it fully covers the tumor. The body then safely and naturally clears away the destroyed tissue over time.
On average, the active histotripsy time will vary depending on the size and location of the tumor. The full procedure time usually ranges from one to three hours but could be longer depending on a variety of factors, including the number and size of tumors being treated.
“Recovery time is fast. Most patients are observed overnight and discharged the following morning with no need for pain medication or physical restrictions,” said Dr. Johnston.
Who Is a candidate for histotripsy?
Typically, patients for whom traditional surgical methods, chemotherapy or radiation pose unacceptably increased risks or have been ineffective are candidates for histotripsy.
Eligible patients will be scheduled for an outpatient ultrasound screening evaluation of their liver before the actual histotripsy treatment. This evaluation is done to make sure that their liver tumor(s) can be accurately targeted and safely treated with histotripsy.
If this evaluation confirms that their tumor(s) can be treated with histotripsy, they will be scheduled for treatment.
To learn more about histotripsy treatment and find out if histotripsy is an appropriate option for you, talk with your physician, call AdventHealth Cancer Institute Shawnee Mission at 913-632-9100 or visit CancerCareKC.com.
Compared to other types of cancer treatment, histotripsy:
- Avoids physical cuts or scars because it doesn’t require incisions.
- Doesn’t cause burns or hair loss or any other radiation side effects.
- Doesn’t trigger widespread symptoms, including chemotherapy side effects like fatigue and nausea.
- Retains effectiveness near blood vessels, unlike thermal ablation.
- Spares antigens (proteins your immune system needs to identify and fight cancer).
