SOMERVILLE, Mass., Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. National Institutes of Health has granted $3 million to Thermedical to test tumor-killing radiofrequency.
The privately held firm said Tuesday it is developing a radiofrequency-based ablation device -- the Saline Enhanced Radiofrequency Ablation system -- that essentially overheats cancerous tumors to kill them.
Thermedical said its NIH grant covers three years of research of the novel system.
"The funding from the National Cancer Institute will allow us to assess whether SERF Ablation is useful for treating solid tissue in general and to pursue investigation for ablation of liver cancer in particular," said Michael Curley, founder of Thermedical and lead study investigator.
Thermedical's previous studies have shown the radiofrequency system can heat 8-centimeter volumes of tissue in less than five minutes, the company said, adding that the continued research will focus on whether the device works against liver cancer specifically.
