Places Still open for HIFU Clinical Trials

As you may already know, the clinical HIFU unit at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford Radcliffe NHS Hospital Trust opened in July 2002. The use of the HIFU equipment supplied by Ultrasound Therapeutics Ltd for the treatment of liver and kidney tumours began late in 2002. Data arising from these trials, was submitted to the regulatory authorities and resulted in the award of a CE mark in July 2005.

All patients will be checked for suitability for HIFU treatment as set out below, but there is a choice as to whether the treatment is to be as part of the trials or not.

On-Trial

There are strict protocols applying to our trials, which relate to cancers in either the kidneys or liver. These protocols are approved by the Ethics Committee. For Patients treated as part of the Trials there will be no charge for the assessment or treatment. To see a summary of the trials please use Our contact form. To be assessed for suitability for treatment under the Trials please complete the Trials Referral form.

Off-Trial

HIFU treatment is not yet available on the National Health Service in the UK, but since the award of the CE mark for the treatment of liver and kidney tumours we are able to consider private patients for such treatment. Other types of tumour have also been treated in the Far East including those in the pancreas, bone, soft tissues and breast. Although those applications are not yet covered by a CE mark, treatment of these conditions could be considered in Oxford on an individual basis under certain circumstances. Further information for private patients can be found at www.hifucancertreatment.co.uk

Assessment

In general, High Intensity Focused Ultrasound may be considered as doing the same job as surgery, but avoiding the surgeon’s knife. It is excellent for destruction of solid cancers, but not for dispersed cancers. Due to the nature of the technique, our ability to treat individual patients does depend on the size and exact anatomical position of the target tumour, as we need to be able to see it using ultrasound and MRI

In order to answer your questions, and check suitability for HIFU treatment, a patient must be referred to us by a hospital consultant or GP, using the form below together with as much of the clinical and treatment history as possible. It is also important at this stage, to see any recent scans that may be available, either CT or MRI, either originals or on a CD. The medical history should be as detailed as possible, with the dates and types of chemotherapy given, radiotherapy administered, and the quantity and dates and types of surgery so far received. Please include the official report of any scans or imaging when they are sent to us.

You should also be aware that there are individual milestones involved at each stage of assessment and planning for treatment. If after looking at the films and history during the 'pre-screening review', the patient is thought to be suitable and proceeds to the 'assessment and planning' stage, it still may not be possible to proceed to treatment. We need to be able to see the extent and position of the tumour with the HIFU equipment, and if this is not possible, or for any other reason, some patients may be deemed unsuitable for treatment.