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New Experimental Treatment Helps Many Cancer Patients Live Pain-Free

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A new treatment may help relieve pain for many cancer patients.

Moira Rogers says she's found new strength in her battle with breast cancer.

"I'm amazed at how I don't really feel anything now," Moira said. "I feel very little pain."

When the former London teacher was diagnosed nearly two years ago, the cancer spread quickly to her bones causing unbearable pain in her arm. Specialists at the Institute of Cancer Research used high-intensity focused ultrasound to blast cells in Moira's bones that were triggering her pain.

"The heating that comes from here is what relieves the pain," said Sharon Giles, a radiographer at the Royal Marsden. "It burns the nerve endings and kills the pain."

Moira was the first of nine patients treated with the technique known as 'HIFU' in a clinical trial.

"These patients have usually had all forms of other treatments and nothing is working," said Dr. Nandita DeSouza, of the Institute of Cancer Research, in the Royal Marsden Hospital.

While doctors targeted bone pain instead of the cancer itself, they hope to eventually use HIFU as a tool to kill prostate and breast cancer cells. Moira says while she doesn't know what the future holds, she's thankful researchers gave her a chance to live pain-free.

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