Focused Ultrasound for Sarcomas: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Sarcomas are mesenchymal tumors known for resistance to systemic therapies and high local recurrence rates.
• Current multimodal treatments for sarcomas often face limitations in efficacy and invasiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the mechanisms of focused ultrasound (FUS) investigated for sarcoma treatment.
• To summarize findings from preclinical, veterinary, and clinical studies on FUS for sarcomas.

Main Methods:

• Narrative review of existing literature on focused ultrasound applications in sarcoma therapy.
• Exploration of FUS mechanisms including thermal ablation, histotripsy, sonodynamic therapy, immunomodulation, and drug delivery.

Main Results:

• Focused ultrasound (FUS) demonstrates diverse therapeutic mechanisms applicable to sarcoma treatment.
• Preclinical, veterinary, and clinical studies show potential for FUS in enhancing sarcoma management strategies.

Conclusions:

• Focused ultrasound (FUS) presents a promising noninvasive therapeutic modality for sarcomas.
• Further research and clinical translation of FUS technologies are warranted for improving sarcoma patient outcomes.