Tumor Destructive Mechanical Impulse (TMI) Treatment of Solid Tumors. Part I: Animal Experiments, Clinical Application and Immunological Abscopal Effect.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The feasibility and effectiveness of Tumor Destructive Mechanical Impulse (TMI) treatment of solid tumors for standard clinical application is investigated.

METHODS

Different solid tumors in a preparatory animal experiment (VX2 head and neck squamous tumor) and in patients (malignant cutaneous melanoma and prostate carcinoma) are treated by TMI focused shock waves using patient-specific treatment parameters (total energy, energy flux density, shock wave frequency, total number and sequence of shock waves, the optimal placement of the treatment device) determined by multiple parametric simulations.

RESULTS

In animal experiments and in the different treated tumor entities in several patients, the treated tumor or treated metastases regressed, and disguised tumor-associated antigens consistently initiated an immunological abscopal effect achieving that not only the directly treated primary tumor or a treated metastasis regressed but also untreated distant metastases.

CONCLUSION

TMI treatment could have significant implications for the development of new effective and targeted regimens of cancer therapy.