Friday, October 13, 2023
HCA Healthcare's Johnston-Willis Hospital, located in Richmond, Virginia, has achieved a notable milestone as the first medical facility in the United States to initiate a clinical trial targeting brain metastases resulting from lung cancer. This pioneering trial, carried out by the HCA Healthcare Research Institute and sponsored by Insightec, a global healthcare company at the forefront of focused ultrasound technology, explores the potential benefits of combining noninvasive focused ultrasound with systemic immunotherapy.
Johnston-Willis Hospital is the designated venue for this trial, with the initial enrollment of the first two U.S. patients who are presently undergoing a regimen of six treatment cycles each. These patients are battling metastatic brain cancer, which originates from the spread of cancer cells from their primary lung tumor to the brain. This innovative treatment method leverages Insightec's technology to open the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a natural defense mechanism that can impede the delivery of critical medications.
By facilitating the opening of the BBB, this approach aims to enable non-small cell lung cancer medications to reach and effectively target the essential brain lesions. The MR-guided focused ultrasound system, developed by Insightec, has previously obtained FDA approval for its application in thermal ablation to address conditions such as essential tremor and Parkinson's disease that do not respond well to medication. These advancements signify a significant step forward in the ongoing development of focused ultrasound treatment.
Source: businesswire.com
