Overcoming the Blood-Brain Barrier: Focused Ultrasound in Glioblastoma Treatment.

Despite recent advancements in neuro-oncology, glioblastoma remains one of the cancers with the poorest prognosis. Tumor recurrence and progression are driven by tumor stem cells and a high mutational burden. New potential treatment modalities are actively being explored. One promising approach is focused ultrasound (FUS), which involves converging ultrasound waves on a specific region of interest while avoiding damage to surrounding tissue. This mini-review highlights the current understanding of glioblastoma treatment resistance and positions FUS as a promising therapeutic option. We discuss existing clinical research utilizing FUS in four key treatment applications: (1) blood-brain barrier disruption, (2) histotripsy, (3) thermal ablation, and (4) sonodynamic therapy.