Sponsored by
This new paper gives a nice in-depth review of sonodynamic therapy (SDT) using 5-ALA, the same compound many surgeons already use for fluorescence-guided surgery. In SDT, the 5-ALA builds up in tumor cells and, when activated by low-intensity focused ultrasound, triggers the release of reactive oxygen species that kill cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.
The review summarizes the strong preclinical data behind SDT therapy and details all of the human trials that have started so far, some of which have faced funding challenges. Because 5-ALA already has an excellent safety record and because many large medical centers already have focused ultrasound machines, this treatment has great potential for clinical adoption. That said, the approach is still experimental and the human studies so far are still working out important technical details, such as ultrasound dosing and timing.