Focused Ultrasound Breaks Blood-Brain Barrier, Glioblastoma Research Published Internationally

Central News Agency (Taipei, May 13) - Glioblastoma is difficult to treat. A Chang Gung Hospital team successfully used "focused ultrasound" to open the long-impenetrable blood-brain barrier, combined with anti-cancer drugs for treatment. It showed high safety and 1.5 times the efficacy of traditional treatments. Clinical trial results were published in an international journal.

This research was led by Professor Wei Kuo-Chen of Chang Gung Hospital's Department of Neurosurgery and his brain tumor research team. It was published in "Neurosurgery," a top neurosurgery journal, and was also featured as a headline story on January 30, 2026, on the official website of the "Focused Ultrasound Foundation," the most representative international organization in the field of focused ultrasound.

Wei Kuo-Chen explained at a press conference today that glioblastoma is the most challenging malignant brain tumor, characterized by rapid growth and quick disease progression. Common symptoms include headaches, personality changes, limb weakness, nausea, vomiting, and seizures.

Regarding the growth pattern of malignant gliomas, Wei Kuo-Chen explained that they grow and invade by adhering closely to normal nerve cells and adjacent glial cells. Therefore, surgical resection makes complete removal difficult, and residual tumor cells are inevitable. Even after surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, more than half of patients experience recurrence within 6 months, with an average survival period of only 14 to 16 months.

Wei Kuo-Chen stated that one of the treatment bottlenecks for glioblastoma is the brain's unique "blood-brain barrier," which protects the brain from toxins but also prevents most drugs from entering the tumor, significantly reducing treatment efficacy.

To overcome this difficulty, the clinical team at Chang Gung Hospital developed "focused ultrasound technology combined with navigation." This technology can penetrate the skull without surgery, precisely delivering low-intensity ultrasound energy to the brain tumor location, temporarily and safely opening the blood-brain barrier. This helps drugs enter the tumor tissue smoothly. After drug delivery, the blood-brain barrier automatically closes, restoring its brain-protective function.

Wei Kuo-Chen pointed out that clinical trials began enrolling patients in 2021, with a total of 6 recurrent glioblastoma patients participating. They received focused ultrasound treatment every two weeks, combined with the conventional anti-cancer drug Avastin (Bevacizumab). The trial results showed that most patients experienced only a transient warm sensation on the scalp, with no severe side effects. Furthermore, the patients' "progression-free survival" was 1.5 times that of traditional treatments.

The research team also found a significant increase in circulating tumor DNA in patients' blood after treatment, indicating that focused ultrasound successfully opened the blood-brain barrier, allowing tumor signals previously confined to the brain to enter the bloodstream. Wei Kuo-Chen explained that this means there is an opportunity in the future to track brain tumor changes through blood tests, marking a significant step forward for non-invasive "liquid biopsy" diagnostic technology.

Wei Kuo-Chen stated that Chang Gung Hospital and National Taiwan University Hospital are currently conducting a Phase 3 multi-center clinical trial, with patient enrollment expected to be completed by 2027, followed by application for certification. (Editor: Li Hengshan) 1150513

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