A New Era in Equine Cancer Care: Virginia Tech’s H-FIRE Therapy Arrives at the Equine Medical Center

Advances in biomedical engineering are reshaping how veterinarians treat cancer—and horses are now benefiting from one of the most promising breakthroughs to date. High-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE), a cancer treatment developed at Virginia Tech, is now being offered to equine patients at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, providing a safer, more efficient option for managing equine skin tumors.

How H-FIRE Works

H-FIRE uses precisely controlled electrical pulses to temporarily create microscopic openings in tumor cell membranes. These openings allow chemotherapeutic drugs to enter cancer cells more effectively, enhancing tumor destruction while requiring significantly lower drug doses. Reduced chemotherapy exposure improves safety not only for the horse, but also for owners and veterinary staff handling treated animals.

A key engineering innovation behind H-FIRE is how the electrical energy is delivered. Rather than sustained electrical charges, H-FIRE uses rapid, intermittent pulses. This approach eliminates the severe muscle contractions associated with earlier electroporation methods—making it possible to treat most horses while standing, under sedation and local anesthesia.

The technology was developed by Virginia Tech biomedical engineers beginning in 2011, with equine clinical trials launching in 2013. The multidisciplinary team included Rafael Davalos, PhD; Michael Sano, PhD; and John Robertson, DVM, PhD, whose collaborative work bridged engineering and veterinary medicine.

Standing Treatment, Faster Recovery

Most equine patients undergoing H-FIRE can be treated without general anesthesia, though it may still be required depending on tumor location or patient temperament. Beyond directly destroying tumor cells, emerging evidence suggests H-FIRE may also stimulate the horse’s immune system, potentially helping the body recognize and respond to tumors elsewhere.

Following surgical excision of the tumor and an initial H-FIRE treatment, horses typically return for two to three monthly follow-up sessions that combine H-FIRE with chemotherapy. Complications are minimal, and downtime is short—allowing many horses to return quickly to training, competition, or normal activity.

A Game-Changer for Equine Oncology

Clinicians report that H-FIRE has significantly improved complete tumor resolution rates, particularly for equine skin tumors. By reducing the number of treatments and the amount of chemotherapy required, the approach also helps keep costs more manageable for horse owners.

For veterinarians and owners alike, the benefits are clear: fewer prolonged stall-rest periods, fewer intensive follow-up visits, and better long-term outcomes.

Horse owners interested in determining whether H-FIRE is an appropriate option for their animal can contact the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center directly at 703-771-6842.

As engineering-driven therapies like H-FIRE continue to move from the lab to the clinic, they offer a glimpse into the future of equine cancer care—one that is safer, more targeted, and increasingly compatible with keeping horses healthy, active, and doing what they love.