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The intensive ultrasonic radiation directed at a malignant tumor and causing its vibration can be an effective method of cancer treatment, informed press release of Durham University, Northern Carolina. At such influence immune system of the patient starts actively to destroy a tumor and its metastasizes.
Results of the work carried out by engineers and oncologists at Duke University have been published in Journal of Translational Medicine. Zhenlin Hu was at the head of the research, now he is working at the Second military-medical university in Shanghai.
High-intensity focused ultrasound, HIFU, is already used for treatment of tumors in Europe, USA and China. However till now scientists used such intensity which destroys cancer cells by warming them up.
Basic difference of the American researchers’ work in that that the focused ultrasound causes only vibration of a tumor, breaking integrity of cells’ membranes. Thus the cellular contents containing set of antigens, go in a bloodstream. The immune system distinguishes these antigens and produces a clone of corresponding antineoplastic lymphocytes, which distinguish and destroy both the basic tumor and its metastasises.
If results of the experiment will prove to be true at people, the given technique can effectively treat cancer without operative treatment. It is especially important at treatment of patients with metastasises in such important organs as brain and lungs.