{"id":2987,"date":"2022-03-07T20:47:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-08T00:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fusfoundation.org\/?post_type=sw_disease_condition&p=2987"},"modified":"2026-05-13T17:50:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T21:50:11","slug":"brain-tumors","status":"publish","type":"sw_disease_condition","link":"https:\/\/www.fusfoundation.org\/diseases-and-conditions\/brain-tumors\/","title":{"rendered":"Brain Tumors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Focused Ultrasound Therapy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Focused ultrasound is a noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with brain tumors. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasonic energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the brain without damaging surrounding normal tissue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it Works<\/strong>
Where the beams converge, the ultrasound produces a variety of therapeutic effects, enabling treatment without incisions or radiation. These include temporary opening of the blood-brain barrier, designed to improve levels in the brain of therapeutic agents; thermal ablation; activation of sono-sensitive agents at the target; and combining with radiation therapy for a more pronounced effect. There is also a study using focused ultrasound prior to surgery to help mark the boundary of the tumor extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several listings for specific diseases within the broader brain tumor category, so you may want to go to these headings for a more detailed description.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DIPG\/DMG<\/a><\/strong>
Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is also referred to as Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG) is also being investigated using several methods of action. Sonodynamic therapy, (where non toxic agents can respond to ultrasound stimulation to become locally toxic to the tumor), blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption (where the temporary disruption of the BBB can enable better penetration of chemotherapy agents) and the combination of focused ultrasound with radiation can help improve the outcomes.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Glioblastoma<\/strong><\/a>
There are several mechanisms of action that are being explored for glioblastoma. Thermal ablation (either complete or partial, which may help with the immune response), sonodynamic therapy, (where non toxic agents can respond to ultrasound stimulation to become locally toxic to the tumor), blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption (where the temporary disruption of the BBB can enable better penetration of chemotherapy agents) and the combination of focused ultrasound with radiation can help improve the outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neuroblastoma<\/a><\/strong>
There are several mechanisms of action that are being pursued for neuroblastoma. Thermal ablation (either complete or partial, which may help with the immune response), and hyperthermia (temperature elevation) can help with the penetration of chemotherapy agents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neurofibromatosis<\/strong><\/a>
There are three types of Neurofibromatosis, type 1, type 2, and schwannomatosis, and the common symptom is that the benign tumors grow out with the peripheral nerves and cause numerous symptoms, often associated with pain, as a result. There has been some work proposed on these, and we are looking for clinical trials soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metastatic disease<\/span>
There is the use of blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption (where the temporary disruption of the BBB can enable better penetration of chemotherapy agents) to allow the treatment of cancers that have metastasized to the brain to be treated. See below for a study on lung cancers that have metastasized to the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advantages
<\/strong>Current treatments for brain tumors include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, all of which have limitations and side effects.

Focused ultrasound, used alone or in combination with conventional therapies, has several potential advantages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n