HCA Midwest Health is region's first to offer noninvasive outpatient liver tumor treatment
Overland Park, Kan. — HCA Midwest Health, Kansas City’s largest healthcare provider, today announced that Menorah Medical Center is the first hospital in a four-state area to use a groundbreaking technology that harnesses ultrasound energy to destroy liver tumors in a single outpatient procedure. Board-certified vascular and general surgeon Joe Cates, MD, performed the inaugural treatment. Each year, it is estimated more than 40,000 people will be diagnosed with liver cancer — and those numbers are increasing. Treatments for liver cancer can be complex and commonly include surgery that can result in a long recovery process, pain and countless side effects.
“This new technology provides a noninvasive, safer option for patients with liver tumors, enabling physicians to help restore quality of life more quickly than with traditional treatment,” Dr. Cates said. “At Menorah Medical Center, we are committed to bringing leading-edge therapies to our patients and are honored to play a role in this new era of liver cancer care.”
Menorah Medical Center is part of HCA Midwest Health.
How histotripsy works
The FDA-approved, image-guided therapy delivers concentrated ultrasound waves directly to targeted tumor tissue while sparing surrounding healthy tissue and blood vessels. The sound waves create microbubbles that expand and collapse rapidly, releasing mechanical forces that break apart tumor cells. Over time, the body’s immune system clears the debris, replacing it with healthy tissue.
This breakthrough therapy allows patients to recover more quickly than with traditional options such as chemotherapy, radiation or invasive surgery. Physicians also benefit from real-time imaging, enabling them to monitor the tumor’s destruction as it occurs.
Benefits of histotripsy
Histotripsy has shown to improve patient care in a number of important quality measures, which include the reduced risk of complications. By eliminating the need for surgical incisions, the risks of infection and other complications are significantly lower. Additionally, the precision targeting spares surrounding healthy tissue and enables surgeons to accurately target only tumor cells. The procedure is performed in an outpatient setting which reduces recovery time. Without undergoing surgery, patients can return to daily activities more quickly. Studies have shown histotripsy to be a safer alternative for more patient, and oftentimes allows this to be an option for patients who might not be candidates for surgery due to other health concerns or risk factors.
First patient in four-state region
Kansas City resident Greg Stokes, a well-known chef and owner of Affordable Elegance Catering, was diagnosed with neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer more than 10 years ago. After extensive surgery, his cancer ultimately spread to his liver. In 2025, when the tumors returned, Dr. Cates offered histotripsy.
“Initially, Mr. Stokes was given less than five years to live, which is devastating for an otherwise healthy man, father of five and grandfather of 11,” Dr. Cates said. “Traditional surgery can be painful, costly and require lengthy recovery. With histotripsy, patients typically return home the same day and resume normal activities within 24 to 48 hours. Mr. Stokes’ scans show extremely promising results.”
“Dr. Cates and I had many conversations,” Stokes said. “He showed me videos of tumors dissolving and explained the success other patients experienced. I had the treatment, felt no pain, and was painting my house the very next day. Most importantly, I’m living my best life with my children and grandchildren. There’s no price tag on hope, and that’s what Dr. Cates and histotripsy have given me and my family — hope and more time to live and love deeply.”