Efficacy of Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Opening Combined with Docetaxel for Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme

International Journal of Medical Advances and Discoveries | Vol. 17, No. 3, March 2026 | pp. 19–27

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJMAD/000114

Original Research Article

Title: Efficacy of Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Opening Combined with Docetaxel for Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme

Names of Authors: Charles L. Dupont¹, Aiko Nakamura², David R. Fletcher¹

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Neurosurgery, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Sorbonne University, Paris, France; ²Department of Biomedical Innovation, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treatment failures are largely driven by the inability of systemic chemotherapeutic agents to pass through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) at therapeutic concentrations. This phase I/II clinical trial evaluated the safety, tolerability, and preliminary anti-tumor efficacy of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) to transiently disrupt the BBB, thereby enhancing the intracranial delivery of intravenously administered docetaxel in 24 patients with recurrent GBM. Following surgical planning, patients underwent MRgFUS targeting the peritumoral contrast-enhancing margins immediately prior to docetaxel infusion (20 mg/m²). Contrast-enhanced MRI sequences confirmed precise, localized BBB opening within the targeted coordinates, which fully resolved within 24 hours. Intracranial concentration modeling estimated a 4.5-fold increase in local docetaxel accumulation compared to historical standard delivery methods. Median progression-free survival (mPFS) was significantly extended to 8.4 months within this cohort, compared to the institutional baseline historical control of 4.2 months (Hazard Ratio = 0.42, 95% Confidence Interval [0.28, 0.64], p = 0.001). Adverse events were generally mild; transient post-procedural headaches (33%) and focal neurological deficits (12.5%) resolved completely within 48 hours. No intracranial hemorrhages or severe neuroinflammatory reactions occurred. MRgFUS-mediated BBB disruption combined with docetaxel is a viable therapeutic approach for recurrent glioblastoma.

Keywords: Focused ultrasound, Blood-brain barrier, Glioblastoma multiforme, Docetaxel, Targeted drug delivery, Progression-free survival

Manuscript Timeline: Received: December 02, 2025; Revised: January 18, 2026; Accepted: February 10, 2026; Published: March 24, 2026

Citation: Dupont, C. L., Nakamura, A., & Fletcher, R. R. (2026). Efficacy of Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Opening Combined with Docetaxel for Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme. International Journal of Medical Advances and Discoveries, 17(3), 19–27. doi.org

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