Cancer imaging methods and cancer treatment methods using thermotherapy and drug delivery are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the temperature of heated tissue is determined from radio-frequency data from an ultrasound transducer based upon a change in backscattered energy of acoustic harmonics. In another embodiment, a plurality of nanocarriers containing an anti-tumor medication are administered to a patient, and are excited in a first non-thermal ultrasound mode and/or a second thermal ultrasound mode using an ultrasound source. In yet another embodiment, a plurality of nanoparticles are administered to a patient, then at least some of the nanoparticles are heated along with tissue at a site of a tumor, and a photoacoustic imaging unit is used to determine a temperature of the heated tissue at the site of the tumor.

The invention generally relates to sonodynamic therapy using microbubble-sonosensitiser complexes and, more specifically, to such therapy for the treatment of deeply-sited tumours and associated metastatic disease. In particular, the invention relates to a combination therapy in which sonodynamic treatment of deeply-sited tumours with microbubble-sonosensitiser complexes is combined with treatment using immune checkpoint inhibitors. It further relates to methods of sonodynamic therapy in which a sonodynamic-induced abscopal response modulates a systemic regression of metastatic disease. In such methods the abscopal response may be further enhanced by co-administration of an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The invention is particularly suitable for the treatment of pancreatic cancer (e.g. pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma) and associated metastasis.

Methods of treating tumors by administering compounds to a patient are provided. Compounds such as pro drugs, e.g., 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), may be administered to the patient orally, by injection, intravenously, or topically, which then accumulate preferentially as compounds such as protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in tumor cells. After such accumulation, compounds such as PpIX are then activated in various aspects to treat tumors cells, thereby treating cancer. Cancers such as glioblastoma may be treated.

Disclosed are methods of using planar acoustic waves for providing non-invasive sonodynamic therapy. The method includes acoustically coupling an array of flat piezoelectric transducers to a patient. A controller is configured to generate an electrical drive signal at a frequency selected from a range of frequencies, modulate the drive signal, and drive the transducer with the modulated drive signal at the frequency to produce a modulated planar acoustic wave to produce an average acoustic intensity sufficient to activate a sonosensitizer in a treatment region without damaging healthy cells in the treatment region.

Systems and methods for treating cancer and for preventing metastasis using low intensity focused ultrasound in combination with an anti-cancer therapy are disclosed.

The invention provides compositions featuring TRP-4 polypeptides and polynucleotides, methods for expressing such polypeptides and polynucleotides in a cell type of interest, and methods for inducing the activation of the TRP-4 polypeptide in neurons and other cell types using ultrasound.

New advantageous compositions and methods for treatment of malignancies such as basel cell carcinoma and other skin cancers, brain tumors, head and neck cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer and other cancer types. The new compositions and methods may also be used for treatment of non-cancer problems such as dermatological diseases, sexual diseases, anti-fungal and antibacterial and wound healing. A new photodynamic therapy/sonodynamic therapy (PDT/SDT) combination approach using near infrared (NIR) tetrapyrrolic photosensitizers (PSs) with long wavelength absorption, in the range of 750-800 nm, that provides deeper tissue penetration. Such combinations may be postloaded onto PAA nanoparticles (NPs) for better delivery to a tumor site. A preferred sonodynamic compound is fullerene 60 but other sonodynamic compounds may be employed. The unique NP formulations of the invention can contain chemotherapeutic agents releasable by ultrasound in cancer or other hyperproliferative tissue. NP formulations may also contain tumor targeting moieties.

Cancer treatment and imaging methods using thermotherapy and drug delivery are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of administering a plurality of antibody or aptamer-conjugated nanoparticles, liposomes, and/or micelles containing a medication and/or gene to a patient in need thereof so as to target a tumor in the patient, at least some of the antibody or aptamer-conjugated nanoparticles, liposomes, and/or micelles attaching to surface antigens of tumor cells of the tumor so as to form a tumor cell/nanoparticle/liposome/micelle complex; and heating the antibody or aptamer-conjugated nanoparticles, liposomes, and/or micelles using an energy source so as to raise the temperature of the tumor cell/nanoparticle complex, micelle complex, and/or liposome complex, thereby releasing one or more medications from the antibody or aptamer-conjugated nanoparticles, liposomes, and/or micelles, and damaging one or more tumor cell membranes at the tumor site.

Disclosed are an oxazine compound and an application thereof. The oxazine compound has a structure of a general formula F. The oxazine compound described in the disclosure is a photo/acoustic dynamic active organic molecule with near-infrared absorption-emission function as well as photosensitivity and acoustic sensitivity. Maximum absorption and emission wavelengths of the compound are both greater than 660 nanometers, and a triplet-state conversion rate of the compound is high; and under illumination or ultrasound, the compound can produce reactive oxygen species with high efficiency, which has a good killing effect on cancer cells and cancer tissues, and almost has no toxic or side effects on normal tissues while achieving photo/acoustic dynamic therapy on tumors.

Particles comprised of a transition metal oxide and an amphiphilic copolymer, having a predetermined particle size, and uses same for encapsulation of hydrophobic compounds and for sono-responsive therapy, are disclosed. The methods of manufacturing the particles with a predetermined particle size are disclosed.