Research Progress on Application of Ultrasonic Microbubbles in Treatment of Liver Cancer

Abstract

Ultrasound therapy and considerable progress in molecular imaging technologies have allowed the use of ultrasonic microbubbles not only in image enhancement but also in targeted drug or gene delivery as drug or gene carriers, respectively. Hence, ultrasound microbubbles carrying drugs or genes have become a novel type of tumor-targeting therapy technology. They do not emit radiation and are thus safe. Additionally, they are efficient and easy to reuse and facilitate drug or gene release. All these features offer attractive prospects for the treatment of liver cancer and provide novel treatment ideas for the disease. This article reviews the mechanism, applications, and existing problems of ultrasonic microbubbles in the treatment of liver cancer.

Keywords

• ultrasonic microbubble
• liver cancer
• targeted therapy