A new treatment developed and tested by University of Oklahoma researchers not only killed large cancer tumors, but reduced the need for mastectomies by almost 90 percent. Researchers at the OU Health Sciences Center are now planning the next phase of clinical trials this year to test the therapy on even larger tumors.
“This therapy is a major advancement for women with later stage breast cancer. Right now, most patients with large tumors lose their breast. With this treatment along with chemotherapy, we were able to kill the cancer and save the breast tissue,” said William Dooley, M.D., a researcher at the OU Cancer Institute and the director of surgical oncology at OU Medicine.
In the most recent study, researchers from several institutions tested the therapy, known as "Focused Microwave Thermotherapy" on tumors that were an inch to an inch and a half in size. These large tumors usually require mastectomies. When researchers used the heating therapy within two hours of patients receiving chemotherapy, the tumor was more susceptible to the chemotherapy and shrunk rapidly. The percentage of patients needing mastectomies was reduced from 75 percent to 7 percent.
“The trial was very successful. We were able to completely reverse those odds,” Dooley said. “We redesigned the machine and will begin clinical trials this year to determine whether the therapy works on tumors that are larger than one and a half inches and smaller than 5 inches in size.”
In theory, Dooley said the technique could be used on any organ that could be “held relatively still.” Scientists are now working to integrate heat-sensitive nanotechnology that would more precisely target cancer cells. They also plan to study a byproduct of the rapid disintegration of the tumor – a boosted immune system. Dooley said it looks like the rapid release of cancer proteins into the blood stream is causing an immune response that could reduce the chance of cancer recurrence. (From the OUHSC Public Affairs office)
“This therapy is a major advancement for women with later stage breast cancer. Right now, most patients with large tumors lose their breast. With this treatment along with chemotherapy, we were able to kill the cancer and save the breast tissue,” said William Dooley, M.D., a researcher at the OU Cancer Institute and the director of surgical oncology at OU Medicine.
In the most recent study, researchers from several institutions tested the therapy, known as "Focused Microwave Thermotherapy" on tumors that were an inch to an inch and a half in size. These large tumors usually require mastectomies. When researchers used the heating therapy within two hours of patients receiving chemotherapy, the tumor was more susceptible to the chemotherapy and shrunk rapidly. The percentage of patients needing mastectomies was reduced from 75 percent to 7 percent.
“The trial was very successful. We were able to completely reverse those odds,” Dooley said. “We redesigned the machine and will begin clinical trials this year to determine whether the therapy works on tumors that are larger than one and a half inches and smaller than 5 inches in size.”
In theory, Dooley said the technique could be used on any organ that could be “held relatively still.” Scientists are now working to integrate heat-sensitive nanotechnology that would more precisely target cancer cells. They also plan to study a byproduct of the rapid disintegration of the tumor – a boosted immune system. Dooley said it looks like the rapid release of cancer proteins into the blood stream is causing an immune response that could reduce the chance of cancer recurrence. (From the OUHSC Public Affairs office)
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