Sonodynamic therapy and magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound: new therapeutic strategy in glioblastoma

J Neurooncol. 2023 May;163(1):219-238. doi: 10.1007/s11060-023-04333-3. Epub 2023 May 14.

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GB) is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain tumors, with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. In recent years, sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and magnetic resonance focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) have emerged as promising approaches for the treatment of GB. SDT uses ultrasound waves in combination with a sonosensitizer to selectively damage cancer cells, while MRgFUS delivers high-intensity ultrasound waves to precisely target tumor tissue and disrupt the blood-brain barrier to enhance drug delivery. In this review, we explore the potential of SDT as a novel therapeutic strategy for GB. We discuss the principles of SDT, its mechanisms of action, and the preclinical and clinical studies that have investigated its use in Gliomas. We also highlight the challenges, the limitations, and the future perspectives of SDT. Overall, SDT and MRgFUS hold promise as novel and potentially complementary treatment modalities for GB. Further research is needed to optimize their parameters and determine their safety and efficacy in humans, but their potential for selective and targeted tumor destruction makes them an exciting area of investigation in the field of brain cancer therapy.

Keywords: Foscused Ultrasound; Glioblastoma; Gliomas; MRgFUS; Sonodynamic Therapy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Brain Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Glioblastoma* / diagnostic imaging
  • Glioblastoma* / therapy
  • Glioma* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy