Intro
Research offers hope for safer, targeted oral cancer treatment using low-frequency ultrasound technology effectively.
CH NEWS
BENGALURU
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have found that low-frequency ultrasound can selectively destroy oral cancer cells while largely sparing healthy cells, offering hope for a less invasive treatment for one of India’s most common cancers.
Oral cancer remains a major public health concern in India, primarily due to the widespread use of tobacco and arecanut products. Existing treatment options, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, often damage healthy tissue alongside cancer cells, leading to significant side effects.
In the study, IISc researchers collaborated with clinicians from M.S. Ramaiah Medical College and Hospitals to test low-frequency ultrasound on oral tumour samples collected directly from patients. By using patient-derived samples instead of conventional laboratory-grown cancer cell lines, the researchers were able to better reflect the diversity of oral cancers seen among Indian patients.
The team found that oral cancer cells were highly vulnerable to the moderate mechanical forces generated by ultrasound. According to the researchers, this is because the cancer cells contain lower levels of Tropomyosin 2.1, a protein that enables healthy cells to sense and withstand mechanical stress. As a result, ultrasound exposure triggered selective death of cancer cells while leaving healthy oral epithelial cells largely unaffected.
Using a three-dimensional co-culture model that closely resembles the tumour environment, the researchers also observed that ultrasound disrupted the dense protective barrier surrounding tumour cells. Such barriers often prevent medicines and immune cells from reaching tumours, reducing the effectiveness of existing therapies.
“The novelty of this study lies in showing how ultrasound mechanostimulation can selectively target oral cancer cells by exploiting their mechanical weakness,” said Ajay Tijore, Assistant Professor in IISc’s Department of Bioengineering and the study’s corresponding author.
Rashmita Luha, a PhD student at IISc and the study’s first author, said the consistency of the results across tumour samples from patients at different stages of cancer was particularly encouraging.
As ultrasound is already widely used in clinical practice and is non-invasive, the researchers believe the findings could pave the way for safer and more targeted cancer therapies. The team now plans to evaluate the approach in advanced preclinical models and investigate whether combining ultrasound with existing treatments can improve drug delivery and treatment outcomes.
