Vanderbilt Health recently performed its 100th histotripsy, a noninvasive procedure in which highly focused ultrasound waves are directed at liver tumors to destroy cancer without ever making an incision. 

The recipient, Aaron Davis of Cleveland, Tennessee, had just celebrated his 52nd birthday days before the procedure and was surrounded in the Vanderbilt University Hospital operating room by a surgical team he’s come to greatly admire. 

Sekhar Padmanabhan, MD, assistant professor of Surgery, performed the procedure, in which a tub of water held over Davis’ abdomen served as the medium through which the ultrasound waves passed. In histotripsy, the focused ultrasound energy causes small gas bubbles in the tissue to rapidly expand and contract. This process forms a “bubble cloud,” forcing the targeted tumors to be liquified while avoiding damage to other tissue. 

“Histotripsy is a novel procedure, but one that shows a great deal of promise,” said Padmanabhan. “Thanks to generous philanthropic support, we’re building a world-class program to continue offering this technology to patients who can benefit from a noninvasive surgical option that yields excellent results.”  

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center is among the first institutions to offer histotripsy. Appealing to patients for its noninvasive nature, it avoids many of the traditional drawbacks of surgeries that use incisions, including pain management. 

“When I had my liver resection, that was some of the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life,” said Davis. “And I’m allergic to many pain medications, too. Being able to get put to sleep for surgery and wake up without the pain of having my abdomen cut open changes everything.” 

Davis had previously been in Padmanabhan’s care to receive a hepatic artery infusion pump, which successfully delivered high doses of chemotherapy to his liver while minimizing toxicity to the rest of his body. And although the cancer returned, Davis knew he was in good hands with Padmanabhan and Kristen Ciombor, MD, MSCI, associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology, who eventually helped him settle on histotripsy as the best option to treat his latest recurrence of cancer. 

“The doctors at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center changed my life,” said Davis. “Having a care team who knew exactly what I needed and recognized that a newer procedure could help me has given me hope that I can continue fighting cancer.” 

The post Vanderbilt Health celebrates milestone for novel histotripsy procedure  appeared first on Vanderbilt Health.

From his infusion chair, Matt Duckworth would clap and yell “woohoo” each time he heard another cancer patient ring the bell to mark the completion of chemotherapy treatment, even though he knew he would never get that opportunity. 

On Friday, April 25 — seven months after his death — the bell pealed loudly at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center infusion clinic as a plaque was unveiled in his honor and the announcement was made that patients receiving palliative chemotherapy would also get to ring the bell going forward. 

Duckworth was in the prime of his life at age 41, working as director of Population Health Operations for Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network and doting on his three dogs with his wife, Suzanne, when he was diagnosed in 2020 with Stage 4 gastroesophageal cancer that had metastasized to his liver.  Although the chemotherapy didn’t cure his cancer, the treatments did extend his life for four years. 

“Matt had infusions weekly, and as we were sitting in the infusion room for hours at a time, we would hear the bell ring, and we would hear everybody clapping,” said Suzanne Duckworth. “He would clap and yell, ‘Woohoo!’ He just emitted such a positive vibe and aura. I would sit there and think, ‘He’s never going to get that because he has terminal cancer.’ Now, that thought might have come into his brain, but you would never know it because he never said it.” 

She asked Vanderbilt-Ingram about adding a plaque, and a ceremony was held in Matt’s memory to mark the occasion. Colleagues, family and friends shared stories about the man, who was beloved for his sense of humor, love for trips to Disney World and his affinity for dogs. His physician, Michael Gibson, MD, PhD, associate professor of Medicine, spoke about the relationship he developed with Matt and how much he enjoyed spending time with him.  

Suzanne Duckworth stated, “This is for you, Matt,” and rang the bell. 

His mother, Betsye, stood nearby wiping away a tear. On the plaque that had just been unveiled was a poem written by his sister, Jill Comfort.

I stand before the bell today 

Not for an end, but to proudly say 

I fought with every breath I had  

Through days of pain and times of glad 

I ring this bell for all I’ve done 

For every battle, fought and won 

For every day, for every try 

I ring the bell — head held high 

Ten years younger than Matt, Comfort had come to Nashville from Mississippi, to help Suzanne, who is a Vanderbilt nurse, with her big brother when he began hospice care. It had also bothered her that Matt never got to ring that bell, so she bought him one and read him the poem she had written.  

“But he wouldn’t ring the bell because that was admitting defeat,” Suzanne Duckworth said. 

A native of Clinton, Mississippi, Matt excelled in life, attaining an undergraduate degree in journalism, a Master of Science in public relations and then a Juris Doctor from Mississippi College of Law with honors followed by a Doctor of Healthcare Administration.  

He and Suzanne married in 2003 and eventually moved to Nashville, where they both established careers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.  

“When things were running down, he didn’t want to give up,” Comfort said. “Then one day, he asked me if I would read the poem at his funeral and ring the bell. That somehow transpired into where we are today. We talked about how there were other people in his situation that don’t get that opportunity who are needing treatments for years and years. They need some encouragement.” 

Suzanne Duckworth approached Julie Bulger, manager of Patient- and Family-Centered Care at Vanderbilt-Ingram about allowing any chemotherapy patient to ring the bell regardless of whether they had completed treatment or achieved remission. 

“When Suzanne shared her idea about a new plaque, I deeply appreciated what she said, how when Matt heard the bell, he felt happy for those who rang it,” Bulger said. “It is rung traditionally at the end of treatment, but many patients may never have that opportunity. This thought comes from a lot of places, not only from Matt, but Suzanne articulated it so beautifully.  I believe this is going to resonate with many people.

“The bell can be rung at any time. It doesn’t have to be the last day of treatment. It can be rung because you’re having a bad day, and you’re fighting, and it’s hard. Or you have achieved a different milestone. You want to ring that bell because it’s going to mean something for you, and you want to feel uplifted,” Bulger said.

The post All cancer patients at Vanderbilt-Ingram will have the opportunity to ring the bell  appeared first on VUMC News.

Two Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) investigators have earned grant awards from The V Foundation for Cancer Research, continuing the foundation’s support for innovative cancer research initiatives at VICC. Raymond Blind, Ph.D.