Cancer

What is Histotripsy? Hospitals for Liver Cancer Treatment in HK

Author Bowtie Team

Updated on 2025-08-21

Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.

Discover histotripsy, the revolutionary non-invasive treatment for liver tumors that lets patients go home the same day. Thanks to the Li Ka Shing Foundation’s generous donation of cutting-edge equipment, Hong Kong leads Asia as the first to trial this innovative tech. Curious about what histotripsy really is and how it stacks up against traditional methods? The Bowtie medical info team breaks it down for you.

What is Histotripsy Technology?

Histotripsy technology uses high-intensity ultrasound to precisely destroy liver cancer cells , while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues like blood vessels and bile ducts. This method creates microbubbles inside the tumor, which generate shock waves through rapid expansion and contraction, pulverizing and liquefying the targeted cancer cells. In October 2023, this technology received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating liver cancer.

Liver Cancer: Hong Kong’s 3rd Deadliest Cancer

According to data from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry under the Hospital Authority , in 2022, liver cancer ranked as the 5th most common cancer and the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths, accounting for 9.6% of cancer fatalities that year. Since early symptoms are often subtle, many patients are diagnosed at mid-to-late stages, impacting survival rates. An analysis of data from 2010 to 2021 by the Hong Kong Cancer Registry shows that the 1-year relative survival rate for liver cancer patients in Hong Kong is 54.2%, dropping sharply to 29.5% for 5-year survival.

Benefits of Histotripsy Treatment

1. Fewer Side Effects and Complications

Histotripsy typically causes only mild pain, with fewer side effects and complications. Unlike surgical resection, which carries risks like bleeding and organ damage, histotripsy requires no incisions, radiation, needles, or invasive procedures. The device eliminates tumors without the heat needed in traditional ablation techniques.

2. Usually Just One Treatment Needed

Unlike traditional therapies that require longer treatment, hospitalization, and recovery times (see table below), patients generally need only one histotripsy session and can often be discharged the same day to resume normal life. About a month after the treatment, patients undergo a CT scan or MRI to assess the tumor’s status.

Histotripsy Boasts 95.5% Success in Clinical Trials

In a pivotal single-arm clinical trial , histotripsy achieved a 95.5% success rate , eliminating 42 out of 44 tumors. Compared to traditional surgery, this non-invasive approach significantly reduced the major complication rate to just 6.8% , marking a breakthrough in safety.

Histotripsy Treatment Process

The histotripsy treatment takes just 10 to 15 minutes and requires no incisions . After receiving general anesthesia, the patient lies on a water bed. The system marks the tumor location, and a robotic arm precisely controls the ultrasound emitter to target it, delivering high-intensity focused ultrasound waves to the tumor.

Who is Suitable for Histotripsy Treatment?

Histotripsy treatment is suitable for stage 1 to 3 liver cancer patients , including those with primary and metastatic liver cancer.

Histotripsy vs Other Liver Cancer Treatments

Currently, main liver cancer treatments include surgical resection, liver transplantation, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Compared to traditional methods, histotripsy offers more significant efficacy, no need for prolonged hospitalization or multiple sessions, and fewer side effects. Its non-invasive and efficient nature provides patients with a superior option, especially for early to mid-stage liver cancer with smaller tumors.

Table: Comparison of Main Liver Cancer Treatments

Treatment Method	Recovery Time	Effectiveness	Cost ^#
Histotripsy Treatment	Fastest discharge on the same day and return to normal life	95.5% success rate, no 5-year patient survival or recurrence data yet	HK$308,000 onwards
Surgical Resection	Typically hospitalized for one to three weeks post-surgery, but must watch for recurrence with regular check-ups in the first year	50% 5-year survival rate, 70% recurrence rate within 5 years	HK$110,600 to HK$471,700 *
Targeted Therapy	Treatment frequency and duration depend on condition; body may experience short-term or long-term side effects	Median overall survival of 13.6 months for patients on the drug, tumor shrinkage in 40.6% of patients	For example, Lenvatinib costs about HK$30,000 per month , around HK$360,000 for a one-year course
Radiofrequency Ablation	If performed percutaneously, usually same-day discharge; if via laparoscopy or open surgery, hospital stay of several days, watch for infection post-procedure	90 to 95% complete tumor ablation , 55% 5-year survival rate	HK$37,800 to HK$48,850 *; CUHK Medical Centre charges range from HK$52,100 to HK$145,200
Immunotherapy	Generally takes one to two months to show effects, but even after improvement, medication is usually needed for two years to prevent recurrence	About 20% of patients respond to treatment	If not in a study, self-pay HK$30,000 to HK$40,000 per month, about HK$200,000 to HK$300,000 for a six-month course
Liver Transplantation	At least 2 to 3 days in ICU post-surgery, then several weeks in general ward depending on condition; prone to fatigue or infection after discharge, requires long-term immunosuppressants to prevent rejection	92.4% one-year survival rate and 85.3% five-year survival rate	HK$110,600 to HK$471,700 *

* Private charges at public hospitals are subject to the latest announcements
# This only accounts for the treatment cost itself, excluding pre-treatment checks, hospitalization, post-treatment follow-ups, etc. Treatment costs depend on the condition, and the above are for reference only. Some patients may require multiple therapies.
Data sources: Integrated from HA, private hospitals, international medical journal research data, media reports, HistoSonics

Hong Kong Hospitals Offering Histotripsy

By the end of 2024, the Li Ka Shing Foundation had donated histotripsy equipment to the medical faculties of HKU and CUHK, making Hong Kong the first region in Asia to apply this new technology.

As for private hospitals, Gleneagles Hospital announced in early March 2025 that it has become the first private hospital in Asia to introduce histotripsy treatment, with plans to start offering related treatments to liver cancer patients by the end of the same month.

Histotripsy in Bowtie GHK Wellness Package

Bowtie is committed to unlocking private medical services for Hong Kongers, giving consumers more opportunities to access cutting-edge medical technology. Therefore, Bowtie has partnered with Gleneagles Hospital to include its “Histotripsy Treatment – Liver Cancer Treatment Package” in the coverage of the “Bowtie GHK Wellness Package”, providing clients with compensation for related treatment expenses^.

For details, please refer to the product website: https://www.bowtie.com.hk/en/insurance/vhis/hospital-rider/gleneagles#step-2

^ The “GHK Wellness Package” is not a certified product under the VHIS, and the related premiums are not eligible for tax deductions. Compensation for the “Histotripsy Treatment – Liver Cancer Treatment Package” is a special arrangement and is still subject to the annual benefit limit and lifetime benefit limit (if applicable) of the relevant VHIS, as well as the annual benefit limit, lifetime benefit limit, and annual deductible (if applicable). Any expenses incurred outside the package during this treatment, including complications or the need for further surgery and intensive care, will be compensated according to the benefit schedule of the relevant VHIS. This arrangement will take effect from March 14, 2025, until further notice.

Data Sources

1 HistoSonics
2 MyHistotripsy

Author

Bowtie Team

The Bowtie Life Insurance Company Limited is an authorized life insurance company and Hong Kong’s very first virtual insurer approved. Through the use of modern technology and medical expertise, Bowtie offers an agent-free, commission-free and more convenient online platform for customers to quote, apply and claim for Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) anytime anywhere. Bowtie is ranked first in the direct channel sales throughout 2021. Stay up to date at www.bowtie.com.hk