A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has discovered that low-frequency ultrasound could become a promising treatment option for oral cancer by selectively destroying cancer cells while causing minimal harm to healthy tissue.
The study highlights a unique weakness in oral cancer cells that makes them highly sensitive to mechanical stimulation. According to the researchers, this vulnerability is linked to low levels of Tropomyosin 2.1, a protein responsible for helping cells sense and withstand mechanical stress. Without sufficient amounts of this protein, cancer cells struggle to survive when exposed to ultrasound-generated mechanical forces.
Low-Frequency Ultrasound Selectively Destroys Oral Cancer Cells
To investigate the potential of ultrasound as a cancer treatment, the IISc research team collaborated with clinicians from MS Ramaiah Medical College and Hospitals and tested patient-derived oral tumour samples.
The researchers found that carefully controlled low-frequency ultrasound triggered the death of oral cancer cells while leaving healthy oral epithelial cells largely unharmed. Their findings have been published in the scientific journal Materials Today Bio.
Ajay Tijore, Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at IISc, explained that the study introduces a different way of treating cancer by exploiting the physical weakness of tumour cells rather than relying on drugs or heat.
According to Tijore, moderate mechanical forces generated by ultrasound can damage cancer cells beyond their ability to repair themselves, leading to their destruction.
How Ultrasound Works Differently in This Study
Ultrasound is commonly used in hospitals as a non-invasive imaging technique that produces real-time images of internal organs using high-frequency sound waves. However, this research explored an entirely different application.
Instead of imaging, researchers used low-frequency ultrasound as a therapeutic tool to mechanically stress cancer cells. Under optimised conditions, the treatment triggered apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death. The researchers referred to this ultrasound-induced process as mechanoptosis, where cancer cells die because they cannot withstand the mechanical forces, while normal cells remain largely unaffected.
Study Shows Reduced Cancer Cell Spread
The benefits observed in the study went beyond killing cancer cells.
Researchers found that ultrasound significantly reduced the ability of oral cancer cells to migrate and invade nearby tissues—two key processes responsible for tumour growth and cancer spread.
Using a sophisticated 3D co-culture model that closely mimics the oral tumour environment, the team also discovered that ultrasound disrupted the protective barrier formed by cancer-associated cells around the tumour.
This barrier often limits the effectiveness of existing treatments by preventing medicines and immune cells from reaching the tumour. Breaking down this protective layer could improve the success of future cancer therapies.
Consistent Results Across Different Patients
One of the most promising findings was the consistency of the results across tumour samples collected from multiple patients at different stages of oral cancer.
Lead author Rashmita Luha, a PhD scholar in IISc’s Department of Bioengineering, said the team was surprised to see that cancer cells from different patients consistently showed high sensitivity to ultrasound, while healthy cells remained far more resistant to the treatment.
Could This Lead to New Oral Cancer Treatments?
Because ultrasound technology is already widely used in medical practice, researchers believe these findings could speed up the development of ultrasound-based cancer therapies.
However, they emphasised that the approach is still in the research stage. More advanced preclinical studies and clinical testing will be necessary before it can be used as a standard treatment for patients.
If future research confirms these encouraging results, low-frequency ultrasound therapy could offer a safer, more targeted treatment option for oral cancer. Scientists also believe the technique may eventually be adapted to treat other easily accessible cancers, such as breast cancer and skin cancer.
Meta Title: IISc Study Finds Low-Frequency Ultrasound Could Target Oral Cancer Cells Safely
Meta Description: Researchers at IISc Bengaluru have found that low-frequency ultrasound can selectively destroy oral cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, offering hope for future targeted cancer treatments.