New state-of-the-art cancer treatment offered at Providence Saint John’s Health Center
SANTA MONICA (April 11, 2025) – Providence Saint John’s Health Center, committed to leading-edge medical technology, has established a histotripsy program, one of just five across California that offer the groundbreaking and non-invasive treatment of liver tumors.
The Santa Monica hospital is the first in Los Angeles County and one of just six in California to offer this new and highly effective option for some cancer patients. The program involves a team of cancer experts from several disciplines to ensure the best care for each patient’s individual needs.
The first patients underwent the new therapy Thursday at Providence Saint John’s in a procedure that utilizes focused ultrasound waves to target and destroy tumors. Histotripsy can be used alone or in combination with traditional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. It provides an alternative for patients who might not tolerate or be candidates for such therapies.
Providence doctors call the technology “the holy grail of cancer care,” said David Tran, M.D., who specializes in diagnostic and interventional radiology.
“The technology is revolutionary because it is minimally invasive,” said Anton Bilchik, M.D., Ph.D., director of the hospital's cancer center and a specialist in hepatobiliary cancers.
“Histotripsy minimizes recovery time, reduces the risk of infection and other complications and has few significant side effects,” said Dr. Tran, director of interventional radiology. “Patients go home the same day and quickly return to normal life.”
Providence Saint John’s cancer experts trained on the technology with guidance from counterparts at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, which acquired the technology late last year.
The Santa Monica hospital has a long-standing reputation for embracing medical advancements and providing exceptional patient care. Providence, with 51 hospitals in seven Western states, is committed to innovation and excellence and shares expertise across the health system.
This new technology was provided entirely by donations from the Saint John’s Health Center Foundation and The Riordan Foundation.
###
About Providence in California (South Division)
Providence in California is an integrated delivery network that includes 17 hospitals in Northern and Southern California, comprising the organization’s South Division. Over 35,000 caregivers and approximately 11,000 physicians ensure patients receive the highest level of care in the communities we serve. Supporting its acute care settings in California, Providence features hundreds of affiliated medical group clinics and outpatient centers, in addition to Providence Hospice and Kids Care pediatric hospice, Providence High School, home health care services, 10 wellness centers and a multitude of telehealth services. Providence is committed to an enduring mission of outreach to the poor and vulnerable, and in 2023 contributed $669 million in services, programs and charity care to those in need to California residents.
