Focused extracorporeal pyrotherapy.

A system generating focused elastic ultrashort waves has been developed with the aim to destroy tumors by an extracorporeal way. Experimental studies on different targets (plastic phantoms, organ samples and normal live tissues in pigs) have been done showing the good focusing of the device and the possibility of getting a focal tissular coagulative necrosis. Studies on cultured tumor cells and implanted tumors in rats have shown a local effect on cells or tumor growth with the absence of metastatic risks. First human trials are summarized. This technique we call focused extracorporeal pyrotherapy could be useful for the treatment of cancers.