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Influence of high-intensity focused ultrasound on the development of metastases
G O Oosterhof1, E B Cornel, G A Smits
1Department of Urology, University Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Objective:
The hypothesis that exposure of a solid tumor to high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) could lead to an increase of metastases was investigated in an animal model.
Methods:
The highly metastatic AT-6 Dunning R3327 rat prostate cancer subline was implanted into the hind limb of Fisher-Copenhagen rats and was exposed to 1 pulse/mm2 tumor (acoustical power 1,000 W/cm2) delivered by an experimental machine (Ablatherm, Technomed, France), or the animals were sham treated, as soon as the tumor had reached a volume of 175-225 mm3. The tumor-bearing leg was amputated 24 h later and the number of metastases examined 12 weeks thereafter at autopsy.
Results:
Metastases were seen in 3 (23%) of the 13 animals exposed to HIFU and in 4 (25%) of the 16 sham-treated animals; this is not significantly different. There was also no significant difference in weight of the lungs that contained metastases between sham-treated and HIFU-treated animals.
Conclusion:
Metastatic spread of animal tumors with a high metastatic potential is not enhanced by HIFU exposure.