ABSTRACT
Focused ultrasound (FUS) holds great therapeutic potential in cancer care. Both clinical and preclinical studies indicate that FUS may eventually become a safe and efficient approach for the treatment of oncological patients. FUS-induced anticancer responses comprise tumor growth inhibition, enhanced T lymphocytes infiltration within the tumor mass and increased permeability of the vascular system, including the temporary opening of the blood-brain barrier. On these grounds, FUS can be utilized to target the tumor microenvironment, increase the efficiency of therapeutic agents and, possibly, elicit local and/or systemic host immune responses against malignant tissues and/or cells.
Clinical and preclinical studies are currently in progress to optimize anticancer FUS applications in establishing long-term systemic host immune responses, which may ultimately lead to abscopal effects in patients.

IMPACT STATEMENT
This article discusses the latest developments in the field of FUS in cancer care, in terms of technology and therapeutic effects that were reported among various oncological patients. In addition, the article focuses on clinical and preclinical studies that aim at characterizing the effects of FUS on the tumor microenvironment, the impact on the vascular system and modulation of host immune responses against malignant cells.

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