UVA Health researchers announced on Jul. 30 that gliomas, a type of brain tumor, may be more receptive to targeted drug delivery using focused ultrasound than normal brain tissue. The research is in its early stages but offers insights into overcoming the challenges posed by the blood-brain barrier when treating brain tumors.
The team at UVA Health's Focused Ultrasound Cancer Immunotherapy Center is employing microbubbles activated by sound waves to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier, allowing drugs to reach tumor sites more effectively. Inside tumors like gliomas, cancer cells alter the structure and function of this natural defense, raising questions about how well therapies can penetrate these areas. The new findings provide information on both the permeability of tumor barriers and optimal drug molecule sizes for delivery.
Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors in adults and include glioblastomas, which are among the deadliest forms of brain cancer. Treatments exist that can extend survival and improve quality of life, but most patients with glioblastoma die within five to ten years. More than 10,000 people in the United States die from glioblastomas each year.
Focused ultrasound enables doctors to open the blood-brain barrier very precisely and briefly without surgery, letting beneficial drugs enter while minimizing risks from unwanted substances. Research led by Price found that medium-sized molecules were delivered most efficiently into lab mice's tumors compared to smaller or larger ones.
The UVA Focused Ultrasound Cancer Immunotherapy Center was established in 2022 as the world's first center dedicated specifically to improving immunotherapy through focused ultrasound technology. The center recently acquired an MRI-guided focused ultrasound system made by Insightec that allows real-time monitoring during drug delivery procedures.
"This new MRI-guided focused ultrasound system gives our researchers the ability to both deliver treatment and monitor its effects with exceptional precision," said James Stone, MD, PhD of UVA Health. Colin P. Derdeyn, MD, added: "We continue to be a leader in focused ultrasound research through the efforts of our outstanding investigators...and our collaborations with industry." Price said, "I am hopeful this research illustrates how advanced MR imaging methods can be used to improve focused ultrasound delivery treatments in the clinic."
