December 9, 2024 NGHS becomes first in the world to offer new cancer clinical trial for people with liver tumors View »

Northeast Georgia Health System continues to lead the way toward the future of cancer care, as its hospital in Gainesville recently became the first in the world to offer a groundbreaking clinical trial focused on liver cancer.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Gainesville is already one of only 25 sites worldwide, and the only place in Georgia and most of the Southeast, offering an innovative form of liver cancer treatment called histotripsy. Histotripsy uses high-intensity ultrasound waves to break down cancer tumors at a cellular level. Unlike traditional treatments such as surgery, radiation or chemotherapy, histotripsy does not involve incisions, heat, or toxic chemicals - reducing side effects and speeding up recovery between treatments. Now NGMC Gainesville's Oncology Research team is enrolling patients in a clinical trial, called BOOMBOX, which will study qualified histotripsy patients for up to five years to help improve standard treatment protocol.

"We've been using histotripsy for more than six months now, helping almost 50 people in their fight against cancer," says Nelson Royall, MD, FACS, a liver surgeon who performed the first histotripsy procedure at NGMC. "Our team has fielded calls and emails from people from more than 20 states and several other countries who are interested in traveling to Gainesville for this revolutionary treatment option, which shows just how many people need help, and participating in the BOOMBOX clinical trial will hopefully improve and expand access to histotripsy over time."

Dr. Royall and Terence Jackson, MD, FACS, both with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Surgical Associates, are among the few doctors in the world who are trained to provide histotripsy. Drs. Royall and Jackson are among the first to enroll subjects into BOOMBOX's novel master study program.

"I'm thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking effort to advance non-invasive treatment options for our cancer patients," said Dr. Jackson. "This trial is a unique opportunity to bring the most progressive care to patients who need it most, and I'm proud to play a role in shaping the future of medicine."

"The fact that NGMC became the first hospital in the world to enroll patients in this national clinical trial shows just how committed we are to helping patients beat cancer," said Andrew Johnson, MD, medical director of Oncology at NGMC and a medical oncologist with Longstreet Clinic. "When you look at the select few hospitals providing histotripsy across the nation, our program is literally alongside the likes of Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, MD Anderson and Johns Hopkins - and we treat all ranges of cancer right here in Georgia."

To learn more about histotripsy at NGMC and how to get on the waitlist for evaluation, visit nghs.com/histotripsy. Find out about a patient's eligibility for the clinical trial by calling 678-943-3935.