Oncological Engineering - A new concept in the treatment of bone metastases
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Mechanical Engineering
Abstract
Approximately 2 million people are living with cancer in the UK and this number is set to rise considerably over the next decade to 3.2M. A significant complication of late stage (stage 4) cancer is metastases or secondary tumours which are caused by tumour cells spreading to different locations in the body. Metastases are particularly associated with breast cancer, which is the most common cancer in females and the leading cause of cancer deaths in this group. Figures vary but some studies put a figure of about 50-60 % of patients will have bone metastases in late stage cancer. The tumours weaken the bone and lead to a variety of problems for the patients at a time when quality of life is a paramount consideration, especially as the prognosis is usually terminal. Significant issues include severe pain and spinal fracture which made lead to spinal cord injury. These complications often require major surgery which encroaches, significantly, on the patients' quality of life, when life expectancy is a matter of months and may, in certain cases, provide a mechanism of further spread of the cancer. Currently, there are no implants for supporting the bones before fracture as we cannot identify which vertebrae are likely to fail.
OncoEng will deliver a paradigm shift in the current treatment technologies and stratification of care based on the application of core enabling engineering technologies. A more patient-friendly approach is realised in OncoEng in which we predict which vertebrae with tumours are likely to fail in the future enabling informed decision on care. Advanced computational modelling and imaging will be used to look at the growth of the tumour so that predictions of the strength of the vertebrae can be calculated a different points in time. These strengths can then be compared to spinal loads and an assessment of fracture risk undertaken. Those vertebrae at his risk would then receive special implant to support the weakened bone and prevent fracture. This implant would only require key-hole surgery and would not impinge on the patient's quality of life through a lengthy recuperation period or additional pain. The research proposed responds to the Cancer Strategy in the NHS Long Term Plan and the EU's Beating Cancer Plan.
Three Universities in the UK, University of Leeds, Imperial College and University College London, have come together to deliver this research so as to make a big change in the way these patients are treated. In addition we have formed an international network of academic, industrial and clinical collaborators from Europe, USA and Australia (OncoEng+ Network) with a focus on novel modelling, imaging, advanced materials and innovative medical devices to overcome the challenges of predicting fracture and producing a new implant. Impacts from the research include (1) new diagnostic tools for predicting bone failure using imaging and advanced computational modelling, which can be used in this and other disease such as osteoporosis, (2) a new patient-specific implant that can be inserted using minimally invasive surgery reducing the trauma to the patient and having a shorter recovery period (days rather than weeks or months); the implant would be inserted before the vertebrae is susceptible to fracture, (3) new manufacturing techniques for the delivery of the minimally invasive implant, which have wide ranging applications outside medicine including the aerospace and automotive sector, and (4) new test methodologies for spinal implants to ensure that these devices are tested under a range of activities including adverse conditions such as high patient loading. Importantly, the programme grant will train and up-skill a new generation engineers and scientists in a novel area of application-based research, that of devices for skeletal cancers and software for fracture prediction, and aims to bring together activities in the UK and internationally to form a holistic integrated activity.
OncoEng will deliver a paradigm shift in the current treatment technologies and stratification of care based on the application of core enabling engineering technologies. A more patient-friendly approach is realised in OncoEng in which we predict which vertebrae with tumours are likely to fail in the future enabling informed decision on care. Advanced computational modelling and imaging will be used to look at the growth of the tumour so that predictions of the strength of the vertebrae can be calculated a different points in time. These strengths can then be compared to spinal loads and an assessment of fracture risk undertaken. Those vertebrae at his risk would then receive special implant to support the weakened bone and prevent fracture. This implant would only require key-hole surgery and would not impinge on the patient's quality of life through a lengthy recuperation period or additional pain. The research proposed responds to the Cancer Strategy in the NHS Long Term Plan and the EU's Beating Cancer Plan.
Three Universities in the UK, University of Leeds, Imperial College and University College London, have come together to deliver this research so as to make a big change in the way these patients are treated. In addition we have formed an international network of academic, industrial and clinical collaborators from Europe, USA and Australia (OncoEng+ Network) with a focus on novel modelling, imaging, advanced materials and innovative medical devices to overcome the challenges of predicting fracture and producing a new implant. Impacts from the research include (1) new diagnostic tools for predicting bone failure using imaging and advanced computational modelling, which can be used in this and other disease such as osteoporosis, (2) a new patient-specific implant that can be inserted using minimally invasive surgery reducing the trauma to the patient and having a shorter recovery period (days rather than weeks or months); the implant would be inserted before the vertebrae is susceptible to fracture, (3) new manufacturing techniques for the delivery of the minimally invasive implant, which have wide ranging applications outside medicine including the aerospace and automotive sector, and (4) new test methodologies for spinal implants to ensure that these devices are tested under a range of activities including adverse conditions such as high patient loading. Importantly, the programme grant will train and up-skill a new generation engineers and scientists in a novel area of application-based research, that of devices for skeletal cancers and software for fracture prediction, and aims to bring together activities in the UK and internationally to form a holistic integrated activity.
Organisations
- University of Leeds (Lead Research Organisation)
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (Collaboration)
- Airbus (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- University of Florida (Project Partner)
- TOffeeAM Ltd (Project Partner)
- ETH Zurich (Project Partner)
- Uppsala University (Project Partner)
- Luleå University of Technology (Project Partner)
- Simulation Solutions (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Photocentric Ltd (Project Partner)
Publications
Gourmet LE
(2023)
The role of physics in multiomics and cancer evolution.
in Frontiers in oncology
Hall R
(2023)
Innovative approaches to cancer treatments oncological engineering
in Open Access Government
Holroyd NA
(2023)
Quantitative Image Processing for Three-Dimensional Episcopic Images of Biological Structures: Current State and Future Directions.
in Biomedicines
Zhao C
(2022)
IFT-Net: Interactive Fusion Transformer Network for Quantitative Analysis of Pediatric Echocardiography.
in Medical image analysis
Description | Richard Hall, Chair of a Working Group within NCRI Bone Metastases Group - Engineering support, preventing fracture and treating skeletally related events in metastatic bone disease. |
Geographic Reach | Europe |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | https://www.ncri.org.uk/groups/bone-metastases-group/ |
Description | BioTrib-AVN: The effect of avascular necrosis of the hip on articular function in natural and artificial joints |
Amount | £229,535 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/X023532/1 |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2022 |
End | 12/2024 |
Description | Multiscale optimisation algorithm for the next generation of heat exchanger |
Amount | £226,488 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 10061301 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2023 |
End | 10/2024 |
Description | Novel Ceramic Matrix Composite Integrated Thermal Protection System for Missiles |
Amount | £46,001 (GBP) |
Organisation | MBDA Missile Systems |
Department | MBDA UK Ltd |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2022 |
End | 08/2022 |
Description | Surgery and Biomechanics in Metastatic Bone Disease |
Organisation | Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | We facilitated a stakeholder meeting in Leeds in January 2023 as part of a designated activity within OncoEng. The meeting also included new partners from Leeds Beckett University (high-end biomechanics) and Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds (community orientated biomechanics and interventional biomechanics). Two grant applications are currently been prepared in the areas of Surgical Oncology and Biomechanics of People living with metastatic bone disease. The grants are being prepared as a collaborative activity between RNOH and the UoL. |
Collaborator Contribution | RNOH acted as hosts to a meeting in October 2022 in which both the patient experience and surgical/clinical need were explored. The meeting emphasised the needs of the patients and how varied their needs are. It also provided an enhancement for target product profile for the minimally invasive implant being developed within OncoEng. |
Impact | Clinical - revised and enhanced target product profile for the MMI. Engineering - New constraints/requirements to the device. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Invited public lecture, Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, Hiding in Plain Sight: The Unseen Impact of Engineering in Healthcare |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited talk for flagship event through IPEM, reaching ~150 people from diverse backgrounds - school children, healthcare professionals, engineering. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Keynote lecture, 32nd Annual Meeting of the Seddon Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited lecture to healthcare professionals from the Sedan Society (medics) as part of regional event. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | OncoEng LinkedIn Activity |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The LinkedIn OncoEng page disseminates activities of interest to persons in the medical device, oncology and imaging sectors. It has over 500 followers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
URL | https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncoeng/ |
Description | OncoEng website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The Website was launched in April 2022 to coincide with the start of OncoEng. It contains information about OncoEng including profiles, dissemination activities and the scientific rationale for OncoEng. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
URL | https://oncoeng.org/ |
Description | Presentations and future funding development with Surgical Oncologists at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospitals |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A workshop was arranged with surgical team dealing with metastatic bone disease (spinal and non-spinal) at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK. Date: 7-10-22; Host Mr Craig Gerrard and Dr Sherron Furtado. The meeting was employed to: (1) Develop a new partnership with a major centre for surgical interventions for metastatic bone disease for the purposes of accessing additional patients for the OncoEng study and widen the investigation through the skills developed at the RNOH. (2) Refine the target product profile for the Minimally Invasive Implant for metastatic bone disease (MBD) in the spine. (3) Refine the target product profile for the fracture prediction software. (4) Seek a wider collaboration for future funding opportunities. Follow-up workshop held at the University of Leeds 12-01-23. This also included biomechanics experts from Leeds Beckett University (Dr David Lunn) and Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds (Dr Sarah Astill). Outputs from this workshop included the formation of two groups to develop further grant applications for (1) Biomechanical Interventions for Improving the Quality of Life for person living with MBD and (2) the Utilisation of robotic technologies for MBD surgery. A follow-up meeting was held on 10th February to report on progress. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
URL | https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7019461214116175873 |
Description | The OncoEng+ Network Seminar Series |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The OncoEng+ Network Seminar Series are bi-monthly on-line lectures provided by researchers of an international standing. The inaugural lecture was delivered in September 2022 by Prof W Greg Sawyer (University of Florida), followed by Prof Alex Frangi (University of Leeds), Prof Emad Moeendarbary for the Christmas Lecture (UCL), and Dr Alvaro Köhn-Luque (University of Oslo). Future presenters include Prof Delphine Gourdon (Glasgow), Prof Danail Stoyanov (UCL) and Prof David Jayne (Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
URL | https://oncoeng.org/ |