Institute of Cancer Research reveals dual treatment breakthrough for pancreatic cancer using ultrasound and viral therapy

Image credit: Senjin Pojskić, Pixabay

(IN BRIEF) A new study led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, has identified a promising new combination therapy for pancreatic cancer that could transform future treatment. The dual approach — combining boiling histotripsy and oncolytic reovirus therapy — enhanced the immune system’s response against tumours and reduced immune-suppressing cells. However, researchers also found that neutrophils, a type of immune cell, can inadvertently support tumour growth, highlighting a new challenge for future therapies. Funded by Pancreatic Cancer UK and published in Pharmaceutics, the study marks a major step toward developing more effective and personalised treatments for pancreatic cancer.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 8-Oct-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, have uncovered a promising new therapeutic approach for pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat cancers. The study, published in the journal Pharmaceutics and funded by Pancreatic Cancer UK, found that combining two emerging experimental treatments — boiling histotripsy and oncolytic reovirus therapy — produced significantly stronger immune responses against tumours than either treatment alone.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of the disease, with limited treatment options and high resistance to conventional therapies. The ICR team’s findings suggest that mechanical tumour disruption and viral immunotherapy can work together to modify the immune microenvironment surrounding the tumour, making it more susceptible to immune-based treatment.

The dual approach involves two advanced experimental methods. Boiling histotripsy uses focused ultrasound pulses to mechanically break apart tumour tissue without surgery, while oncolytic reoviruses selectively infect and destroy cancer cells, simultaneously triggering an immune response. Using orthotopic mouse models — where tumours are placed within the pancreas itself to closely mimic human disease — the researchers observed that combining the two therapies induced a much stronger anti-tumour immune response than either could alone.

The analysis showed that boiling histotripsy caused visible cellular disruption within just six hours of treatment. Both boiling histotripsy and reovirus therapy also reduced immune-suppressing cells such as regulatory T cells and macrophages, which normally help tumours evade immune attack. When used together, the treatments boosted the immune system’s natural defences against cancer.

However, the study also revealed a new challenge: neutrophils, immune cells that typically defend the body, were found to act in support of the tumour instead, releasing signals that weakened immune responses and promoted cancer growth. The dual therapy appeared to attract neutrophils to the tumour site, where they countered some of the treatment’s beneficial effects. This unexpected discovery highlights the need for future strategies to block or regulate neutrophil activity in order to maximise the therapy’s success.

Dr Petros Mouratidis, Research Fellow in the Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging at the ICR and first author of the study, explained:

“We were surprised by our findings because for many years, most research has focused on macrophages and fibroblasts when studying why pancreatic tumours resist treatment. Our study points to a big shift in thinking, with neutrophils taking centre stage in shielding these tumours from the immune system. This opens up urgently needed new opportunities for developing more effective treatment strategies.”

Professor Gail ter Haar, Group Leader of the Therapeutic Ultrasound Group at the ICR and senior author of the study, added:

“For people with pancreatic cancer, survival is often measured in months rather than years. If our findings translate to patients, combining boiling histotripsy with reovirus therapy could make pancreatic tumours responsive to immunotherapy, offering doctors new options against this highly aggressive disease.”

The next phase of research will explore a triple treatment approach, adding a therapy that blocks neutrophils to the existing combination. The team hopes this could further slow tumour growth and improve survival outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients.

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SOURCE: The Institute of Cancer Research