Destroying Tissues Permanently with Irreversible Electroporation
In the realm of medical advancements, a new technique known as Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) ablation is making waves for its efficiency, safety, and effectiveness in treating soft tissue diseases, particularly cancerous tumors. This non-thermal, tissue-selective method has shown promise not only for cancerous conditions like prostate cancer but also for cardiac diseases.
Recent clinical evidence and expert analyses highlight the effectiveness of IRE. Using the FDA-cleared NanoKnife system, IRE has demonstrated a high cancer control rate in prostate tissue ablation. The PRESERVE trial, a pivotal study, reported a 71% negative in-field biopsy rate at 12 months post-treatment, which increased to 80-84% when considering patients with 12-month biopsy data and applying Delphi consensus criteria. This translates to 84% of men being free from clinically significant disease in the treated area.
Safety is another key advantage of IRE. Unlike thermal ablation methods such as radiofrequency or microwave ablation, IRE spares critical structures like blood vessels and nerves, reducing collateral tissue damage. This leads to better preservation of functions impacted by traditional ablation, such as urinary and sexual function in prostate patients. The PRESERVE trial and other reports confirm a favourable safety profile, with minimal device-related adverse events.
Quality of life is another area where IRE shines. The non-thermal nature of IRE supports focal therapy approaches that treat only tumor tissue while preserving surrounding healthy tissue. This approach improves patient outcomes related to quality of life compared to whole-gland treatments.
When compared to other methods, thermal ablation techniques often cause coagulative necrosis via heat, which can damage nearby critical structures, leading to more adverse effects. Radiation therapies also carry risks of tissue damage and long-term complications. IRE's mechanism – using short, high-voltage electrical pulses to create permanent nanopores in cell membranes, leading to apoptosis – avoids these issues and is radiation-free.
IRE is not limited to prostate cancer. It is being explored for other hypervascular tumors and cardiac ablation, with promising safety and efficacy results. New embolic agents and nanomedicine approaches are also advancing adjunctive therapies to enhance treatment delivery and tumor targeting for various cancers.
However, only about 1/5 of pancreatic cancers are eligible for surgical intervention due to high risks of complications. IRE can be used as a standalone treatment or as part of a broader treatment plan that may include conventional surgery or other modalities like chemotherapy. IRE isn't subject to heat-sink effects that reduce the efficacy of thermal ablation methods like cryoablation and microwave or radiofrequency ablation.
Post-treatment microscopic imaging shows little evidence of IRE procedure after 30 days, while adjacent tissue continues to function normally. IRE treats similar volumes of tissue to radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryoablation, but in less time. The IRE process results in permanent cell death due to the pores in the cell membrane not healing.
In summary, IRE offers an efficient, safe, and effective treatment for soft tissue malignancies like intermediate-risk prostate cancer, with the distinct advantage of preserving critical tissue functions due to its non-thermal and selective mechanism compared to conventional thermal or radiation-based ablation options. Its expanding clinical use in other cancer types and cardiac diseases continues to be evaluated.
For those interested in IRE project development and manufacturing, RBC Medical can provide assistance, combining human-centered design with cutting-edge engineering. The American Cancer Society predicts nearly 65,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, and over 55,000 will die from the disease. With the potential benefits of IRE, it could offer a significant step forward in the fight against these devastating diseases.
- In the medical-devices sector, the development of medical device design like the NanoKnife system, which facilitates Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) ablation, is significantly impacting health-and-wellness, particularly in treating soft tissue diseases, including cancerous tumors and cardiac conditions.
- Scientific evidence acquired from clinical trials such as the PRESERVE trial demonstrates the effectiveness of IRE in cancer control, with a high negative in-field biopsy rate and a substantial reduction in clinically significant disease in the treated area.
- Quality assurance is prioritized in the product development process of medical devices like the one used for IRE, ensuring it maintains a favourable safety profile with minimal device-related adverse events.
- In comparison to traditional therapies and treatments like thermal ablation methods and radiation therapies, IRE offers excellent quality of life benefits due to its non-thermal nature, which supports focal therapy approaches and preserves surrounding healthy tissue.
- Given the expanding clinical use of IRE technology in fighting against soft tissue malignancies like prostate cancer and cardiac diseases, medtech companies like RBC Medical are engaging in human-centered design and engineering to contribute to its advancement and help combat devastating diseases such as pancreatic cancer.
