Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Nov 07, 2025 2 hours, 5 minutes ago
Medical News: A Breakthrough from Syracuse University
Chemotherapy, while powerful, has always carried a heavy cost. The drugs that kill cancer cells often damage healthy tissue too, causing severe side effects. Now, researchers from Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences and the BioInspired Institute have developed a revolutionary approach to make cancer treatment safer and more precise. Led by Assistant Professor Xiaoran Hu, the team has discovered a method that uses ultrasound waves to activate cancer-fighting drugs only inside tumors, sparing the rest of the body from harm.
Ultrasound Energy Opens New Pathway for Targeted Cancer Therapy
In this
Medical News report, the study introduces an innovation that could fundamentally reshape how chemotherapy is delivered. By using ultrasound—a safe, noninvasive tool commonly found in hospitals—Hu’s team can control when and where chemotherapy drugs become active. This precise activation method could reduce toxicity, lessen side effects, and improve recovery outcomes for patients undergoing cancer treatment.
How Ultrasound Changes the Game
At the core of this breakthrough is the “prodrug” concept—a drug that stays inactive until it reaches a specific target. Typically, prodrugs are activated by internal signals such as enzymes or acidity in tumors, but these same triggers can exist in healthy cells too. The Syracuse University scientists overcame this limitation by using ultrasound to externally and safely trigger the activation. Unlike light-based systems, ultrasound can penetrate deep into body tissues, reaching hidden tumors that other methods cannot.
When ultrasound waves are directed at a tumor, they generate hydroxyl radicals—tiny reactive particles that act as a switch, turning on the inactive drug. This means the chemotherapy only becomes potent at the exact location of the tumor, reducing systemic exposure and minimizing collateral damage to healthy organs.
From Concept to Clinical Promise
The researchers tested their approach using a special prototype drug called ProDOX, based on the chemotherapy agent doxorubicin. When ultrasound waves were applied, the prodrug successfully released the active drug inside the targeted region, killing cancer cells in laboratory conditions. Remarkably, the activation worked even through two centimeters of animal tissue, demonstrating that this method could reach tumors deep inside the human body.
Hu’s team also explored using ultrasound to activate immune-modulating drugs. One such compound, ProR848, can stimulate the immune system to attack cancer more effectively. Under ultrasound, ProR848 released its active form, triggering immune cells to respond precisely at the tumor site, reducing the risk of dangerous systemic inflammation.
Empowering the Next Generation of Researchers
The research also served as an advanced training platform for young scientists at Syracuse University. Postd
octoral scholar Xuancheng Fu and graduate students Bowen Xu and Hirusha Liyanage played key roles in developing the materials, testing chemical reactions, and analyzing data. Undergraduate assistants Luke Westbrook, Seth Brown, and Tatum DeMarco also gained invaluable laboratory experience through this groundbreaking work.
A New Future for Cancer Treatment
The implications of this research could be transformative. Existing ultrasound machines in hospitals could one day be used not just for imaging but for activating targeted cancer drugs—making treatment more efficient, less invasive, and more affordable. The technology could drastically reduce the side effects associated with chemotherapy while maintaining or even enhancing its effectiveness.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal Chemical Science.
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/sc/d5sc05710h
By offering precise, ultrasound-controlled drug activation, this approach could redefine cancer care—shifting the focus from generalized chemotherapy to localized, patient-friendly treatments that save lives without destroying quality of life.
For the latest cancer research, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/cancer
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