NanoKnife: Cancer Breakthrough Without Radiation or Drugs

reply to post by XPLodER


I don't think that makes sense. "Output" to other cells doesn't exist in muscles in that sense, and in nerves it's through chemical synapses. Long story short, the depolarization in the end of the nerve cell releases neurotransmitters, which then cause depolarization in the adjacent nerve cell (or muscle) therefore causing the signal to be carried. The space between the nerve cells is called the synapse.

These neurotransmitters are what psychotropic drugs (including the less than legal variety) target. Usually they slow or increase their rate of degradation in the synapse causing a higher or lower concentration of neurotransmitter, and therefore a higher or lower rate of neuron firing (action potential propagation).



A problem may be that you're viewing this as an electrical system, and while it follows its properties, it's because it's an ionic system and not an electronic. That is, electrons don't move through cells (well, not really in this sense), as far as we know. Rather it is charged atoms -- ions, such as potassium K+ and chlorine Cl- that carry charge and cause these "electrical" phenomena such as voltage and current. In an electrical system, we look at the current of electrons flowing through a wire; in an excitable cell, we look at the current of ions flowing across the cell membrane.

reply to post by soficrow


Soficrew…..

Just to clarify - nothing physical prevents re-use, just the law - and if the end-user breaks the law, they're liable, NOT the manufacturer. ...So we have to trust our own doctors, and that the system will work.

OK…..now I understand your question a little better.

The system will not let you use the electrodes after they have been connected / disconnected once.

This means you can use them more than once on the same patient whilst addressing the same lesion more than once or other lesions subsequent to the first lesion treatment.

Notwithstanding the skin transmission problems are addressed by a proper prep procedure, the Dr must be certain the cancer cells are deactivated (i.e. IRE’d) before he uses the electrodes again in the same patient.

The cell changes can be seen just about immediately on CT or U/S, so that isn’t a big problem.

Whilst in “a perfect world” you would not reuse the electrodes even on the same patient, this is not a practical approach because of the cost of the electrodes.

...Is this the enzyme, do you think?

No…..the product is a new enzymatic agent that is used during the decontamination cycle.

Seven years in development sounds right. ...But is it commercially available yet?

The commercial product has just been released, albeit it is in an extremely early commercial phase.

IMHO - we're better off with instruments like the NanoKnife that aren't re-used and don't rely on sterilization.

Absolutely!

Kind regards
Maybe…maybe not

ATS Team:

Here is a very interesting article about one of the first applications of NanoKnife to treat pancreatic cancer.

San Jose Man Makes Cross-Continental Journey for IRE Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Newswise Published: September 03, 2010

Life was good for 64 year-old Jerry Gates, a San Jose plant rental company owner. He had two grown children, Tyler 32 and Jessica, 29, who adored him, a wife with whom in August this year he celebrated his 40th year of marriage, and a thriving business that allowed them to live a very comfortable lifestyle in the self-proclaimed capital of Silicon Valley.

That bubble quickly burst on March 15, when…... The surgeon reviewing the case explained the full extent of the biopsy results - inoperable stage IV pancreatic cancer. He then told Jerry to "get his affairs in order because he did not have long to live."

Subsequently.....

He came back to Stony Brook to have the procedure done on July 21st. When Dr. Watkins walked into his room the following Friday afternoon, he was amazed.

"This looks like a man who hasn't had surgery," he said.

Dr. Watkins did use the NanoKnife on Jerry Gates to address the tumor cells.

San Jose Man Makes Cross-Continental Journey for IRE Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Yup.....

This NanoKnife is a pretty good gadget!

Kind regards
Maybe…maybe not


[edit on 6-9-2010 by Maybe...maybe not]

ATS Team:

Here is some info about the NanoKnife at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.

I have quoted their info / article because they have summed up things up very well.

NanoKnife at Piedmont Hospital

Piedmont Hospital is one of a few healthcare facilities in the world to offer one of the newest weapons for fighting cancer — NanoKnife. Our specially trained physicians use this new minimally invasive treatment to destroy soft-tissue tumors, particularly those that have spread to the liver, kidneys, lungs and prostate.

How the NanoKnife System Works

NanoKnife uses a targeted approach to treating small, hard-to-reach tumors at the cellular level. Performed under general anesthesia, our specially trained physicians insert electrodes into or around the tumor using a CT scan or ultrasound imaging as a guide. By applying a series of short, intense electrical pulses directly into the tumor, irreversible damage is caused to the cells. The cancer cells die and the healthy tissue remains unharmed. Because there are few side effects or scarring, treatments can be repeated if new lesions develop.

Who is a candidate for NanoKnife?

NanoKnife can be an effective treatment option for patients who have tumors less than five centimeters that are inoperable or when radiation therapy is not advised.

Benefits of NanoKnife

Physicians can treat inoperable tumors
Patients undergo general anesthesia and experience little pain following the procedure.
Treatment requires only a brief hospital stay. Patients are typically discharged from the hospital the day following the procedure.
With few side effects or scarring, the procedure can be repeated if new lesions develop.

Link to article

Link to hospital

Kind regards
Maybe…maybe not

HI all,

I wanted to thank Maybe...Maybe not for starting this thread.
In April of 2010 I had a biopsie on my prostate and was advised I have cancer.
After this thread was posted I did a lot of research on the IRE/ NANOKNIFE.

There are, to the best of my knowledge 13 facilitys in the U.S. that have the IRE/nanoknife.
1. Baptist hospital - Little RockArk.
2.LSU Health Sciences Center- Shreveport La.
3.Piedmont Healthcare -Atlanta Ga.
4. Roper St.Francis Healthcare- Charleston, S.C.
5.Shands/University of Flordia -Gainsville,Fla.
6.St. Johns Medical -Tulsa, Okla.
7.St.Joseph's Hospital -Atlanta Ga.
8.Stony Brook Medical Center - Stony Brook N.Y.
9.University of California -Irvine, Calif.
10. University of Louisville -Louisville , Ky.
11. University of Miami -Miami, Fla.
12. University of Rochester - Rochester, N.Y.
13. Valley Baptist - Harlingen , Texas


The present list of applications is:

1. prostate
2. liver
3. kidney
4. pancreas
5. lung
6. brain
7. uterine fibroids
8. endovascular (angioplasty restenosis)

My interest and reasearch has been the prostate, no other organ.

I contacted a Dr. Jaime Wong at the Malizia Clinic in Atlanta who works at Piedmont hospital.
After having a complete body bone scan and a CT scan of my abdominal and groin area,
I flew from Denver , Co. to Atlanta, Ga. on Sept. 28 the same day the first patient of Dr. Wong got his biopsie results back 3 months after his IRE treatment. NO CANCER!!!!! Bob Taylor the first patient also got his PSA test results back. Bob went from a PSA of 7.9 to 0.3, 3 months after his IRE treatment.
On Oct. 4, 2010 I became Dr. Wongs 7th patient in the U.S., for an IRE treatment on the prostate.
I will get a new biopsie in Jan. 2011.
I have been speaking with Bob on the phone since Sept. 26 2010.

www.gainesvilletimes.com...

reply to post by OLD HIPPY DUDE


OLD HIPPY DUDE.....

That's great!

The NanoKnife certainly is innovative, effective technology & I know how hard everybody is working to develop the clinical application of NanoKnife.

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

reply to post by OLD HIPPY DUDE


The IRE is a one time treatment.
The prostate treatment is an out-patient proceedure.
And no radiation.

reply to post by OLD HIPPY DUDE


Absolutely WONDERFUL! Please keep us informed in January.

Springer...

What wonderful news!

Wow, what a breakthrough. Hopefully this will soon be available everywhere if it gets the pass with the higher ups.

It definitly gives us an alternative to being dosed with radiation.

And I'm always down for potentially new treatments.

This is just fantastic!

It's threads like this that captivated me and got me to join ATS. It's just so happy to know that people around the world can share such important information, actually help each other and quite possibly save a life.

Thanks Maybe...MaybeNot and good luck to Old Hippy Dude!

reply to post by kosmicjack


Kosmicjack.....

I am very pleased my thread is proving useful.

Here are some other new, leading edge medical technologies with which I am involved, that members might find useful:

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: New Laser Technology For Treatment of BPH

Amazing New Heart Imaging Technology! LightLab!

Unbelievable New Miniaturised Kidney Dialysis Technology

New Cancer Technology: Photodynamic Cancer Therapy

I intend to establish threads about other new medical technologies with which I am involved, during the next few weeks.

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

reply to post by Maybe...maybe not
Very interesting.

I would also recommend the following website of Nicholas Pappas:

www.papimi.gr... and

www.papimi.com...

who has been able to cure a number of cases of both pancreatic cancer and brain cancer with his invention.

Of course, the FDA has moved in to stamp out the use of the device in the United States...

For reasons which should be obvious.

Michael

ATS Team:

Good news!

Another hospital has implemented NanoKnife technology.

Local Hospital Targets Previously Inoperable Tumors

DAYTON — Miami Valley Hospital recently began offering a new cancer treatment technology that it claims is the first of its kind in the state.

The hospital in mid-September began using the NanoKnife IRE system, which doctors say will help them completely remove primary tumors that previously had been either inoperable or could only be partially removed due to their proximity to vital organs or blood vessels.

The hospital used $300,000 from its foundation to pay for the technology, for which patients previously had to travel to Louisville. The hospital expects to do at least 30 NanoKnife procedures in the next year.

The device targets tumors through a specialized ablation procedure that causes a tumor to kill itself off and be removed by the body’s own lymphatic system.

The procedure involves a series of needlelike probes with an electrical generator, a computer with a monitor, and foot pedals that operate it. Electrical pulses poke multiple holes in a tumor’s cellular walls, causing it to die naturally and be discarded by the body.

Here's the link to the article.

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

((((((((((((((((((( UP DATE ))))))))))))))


As I wrote earlier Bob Taylor had a biopsy and PSA test in Sept.and the results showed no cancer in the prostate and his PSA dropped to 0.3.
Patient # 2 got his results in Nov. No cancer in the prostate and his PSA dropped to 0.1.
Patient # 3 got his results back this Dec. No cancer in the prostate and his PSA dropped to 0.4
All test results were taken 3 months after the IRE. PSA tests will be taken again at 6 months.
Test results for patients # 4, 5, 6, me 7 and # 8 will be in Jan.

At the beginning of Dec. my regular Dr. wanted to run some blood tests to change my meds.
My PSA dropped from 4.3 to 0.7 just 2 months after my IRE I will get get a new PSA in Jan. but will hold off on a biopsy till April. I had my first biopsy in April of 2010 , a complete mapping of my prostate in June of 2010 and the IRE in Oct. of 2010 so I think my prostate has had enough for awhile.

Dr. Jaime Wong is the only uroligest in the U.S. that does IRE on the prostate.
Dr. Wong is located at the Malizia Clinic in Atlanta, Georgia.

Will keep you posted .

reply to post by OLD HIPPY DUDE


We're also in Denver and my husband was just diagnosed with prostate cancer.

I see you had the Nanoknife procedure - all still good? Would you be willing to discuss your experience with us?

reply to post by ver3298


Yes ! Please send an send me a personal mesage.

reply to post by OLD HIPPY DUDE


I'm new to this forum - this is my second post - and I see I can't send personal messages until I have at least 20 posts. Would you be willing to email me privately to set up a discussion? EMAIL is [email protected].

Thanks again. We're just this close to making an appointment with Dr. Wong, but would love to here about your experience first.

reply to post by OLD HIPPY DUDE


Morning!

I spoke w/ Dr. Wong's practice administrator. The doctor will call us to discuss. I'm wondering if you have any advice about questions we should ask.

Again, my email is [email protected]. If you let me know a good time to call you, we'll ring you up!

Thanks again.

VER3298

reply to post by OLD HIPPY DUDE


Hi! I find I can't Live-chat until I have 200 posts either! UGHHHH. Please let me know how to reach you.

Thanks!

VER3298