Focused Ultrasound Therapy
Focused ultrasound is a rapidly evolving, noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with desmoid tumors. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasonic energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the body without damaging surrounding normal tissue.
How it Works
Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces precise ablation (thermal destruction of tissue) enabling desmoids to be treated without surgery.
Advantages
The primary options for treatment of desmoids include surgery with the possibility of chemotherapy or radiation which can be needed depending on the location of the tumor.
For certain patients, focused ultrasound could provide a noninvasive alternative to surgery with less risk of complications and lower cost.
Clinical Trials
A clinical trial at Oxford University is evaluating the safety and feasibility of HIFU ablation of soft tissue tumors and intra-abdominal desmoid tumors.
See a full list of clinical trials >
See a list of treatment sites >
See a list of laboratory research sites >
Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement
The Model JC Haifu system has received regulatory approval in Europe for treatment of soft tissue tumors, including desmoid tumors. At present, focused ultrasound is not universally reimbursed for treatment of desmoid tumors.
Patient Advocacy
Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation
The DTFR encourages you to join the DTRF Patient Registry to facilitate research efforts. With access to your experience as a patient, researchers will be able to continue learning and making new discoveries in the field of desmoid tumors. If you have ever had a desmoid tumor, you can participate.
Notable Papers
Yeo SY, Bratke G, Knöll P, Walter SG, Maintz D, Grüll H. Case Report: Desmoid tumor response to magnetic resonance-guided high intensity focused ultrasound over 4 years. Front Oncol. 2023 Jun 9;13:1124244. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1124244. eCollection 2023. PMID: 37361566
Prendergast K, Kryeziu S, Crago AM. The Evolving Management of Desmoid Fibromatosis. Surg Clin North Am. 2022 Aug;102(4):667-677. doi: 10.1016/j.suc.2022.05.005.
Testa S, Bui NQ, Charville GW, Avedian RS, Steffner R, Ghanouni P, Mohler DG, Ganjoo KN. Management of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Desmoid Tumors in a First-Line Setting. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Aug 12;14(16):3907. doi: 10.3390/cancers14163907.
Yang Y, Zhang J, Pan Y. Management of unresectable and recurrent intra-abdominal desmoid tumors treated with ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound: A retrospective single-center study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2022 Aug 26;101(34):e30201. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000030201.
Zhou MY, Bui NQ, Charville GW, Ghanouni P, Ganjoo KN. Current management and recent progress in desmoid tumors. Cancer Treat Res Commun. 2022 Apr 16;31:100562. doi: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2022.100562.
Zhong X, Hu X, Zhao P, Wang Y, Fang XF, Shen J, Shen H, Yuan Y. The efficacy of low-power cumulative high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment for recurrent desmoid tumor. Cancer Med. 2022 May;11(10):2079-2084. doi: 10.1002/cam4.4573. Epub 2022 Mar 11.
Zhong X, Hu X, Zhao P, Wang Y, Fang XF, Shen J, Shen H, Yuan Y. The efficacy of low-power cumulative high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment for recurrent desmoid tumor. Cancer Med. 2022 Mar 11. doi: 10.1002/cam4.4573.
Mo S, Chen J, Zhang R, Yang C, Wang T, Chen L, Chen W. High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation for Postoperative Recurrent Desmoid Tumors: Preliminary Results. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2022 Apr;48(4):638-645. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2021.12.002. Epub 2022 Jan 14.
Zhang R, Chen JY, Zhang L, Li KQ, Xiao ZB, Mo SJ, Chen L, Chen WZ. The safety and ablation efficacy of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation for desmoid tumors. Int J Hyperthermia. 2021 Sep;38(2):89-95. doi: 10.1080/02656736.2021.1894359.
Fang L, Hu X, Xu Y, Sun H, Shen H. Intermittent ice-cooling to prevent skin heat injury caused by high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy targeting desmoid-type fibromatosis: A case report. Int J Nurs Sci. 2020 Dec 18;8(1):136-140. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnss.2020.12.006. eCollection 2021 Jan 10.
Morochnik S, Ozhinsky E, Rieke V, Bucknor MD. T2 mapping as a predictor of nonperfused volume in MRgFUS treatment of desmoid tumors. Int J Hyperthermia. 2019;36(1):1272-1277. doi: 10.1080/02656736.2019.1698773.
Najafi A, Fuchs B, Binkert CA. Mid-term results of MR-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment for relapsing superficial desmoids. Int J Hyperthermia. 2019;36(1):538-542. PMID: 31068030
Bucknor MD, Beroukhim G, Rieke V, Ozhinsky E, Lobach I. The impact of technical parameters on ablation volume during MR-guided focused ultrasound of desmoid tumors. Int J Hyperthermia. 2019 Mar 28:1-4. doi: 10.1080/02656736.2019.1590654.
Griffin MO, Kulkarni NM, OʼConnor SD, Sudakoff GS, Lea WB, Tutton SM. Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound: A Brief Review With Emphasis on the Treatment of Extra-abdominal Desmoid Tumors. Ultrasound Q. 2019 Feb 20. doi: 10.1097/RUQ.0000000000000431.
Scipione R, Anzidei M, Bazzocchi A, Gagliardo C, Catalano C, Napoli A. HIFU for Bone Metastases and other Musculoskeletal Applications. Semin Intervent Radiol. 2018 Oct;35(4):261-267. doi: 10.1055/s-0038-1673363. Epub 2018 Nov 5. Review.
Bucknor MD, Rieke V. MRgFUS for desmoid tumors within the thigh: early clinical experiences. J Ther Ultrasound. 2017 Feb 3;5:4. doi: 10.1186/s40349-017-0081-3. eCollection 2017.
Ghanouni P, Dobrotwir A, Bazzocchi A, Bucknor M, Bitton R, Rosenberg J, Telischak K, Busacca M, Ferrari S, Albisinni U, Walters S, Gold G, Ganjoo K, Napoli A, Pauly KB, Avedian R. Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound treatment of extra-abdominal desmoid tumors: a retrospective multicenter study. Eur Radiol. 2017 Feb;27(2):732-740. doi: 10.1007/s00330-016-4376-5.
Shim J, Staruch RM, Koral K, Xie XJ, Chopra R, Laetsch TW. Pediatric Sarcomas Are Targetable by MR-Guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MR-HIFU): Anatomical Distribution and Radiological Characteristics. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2016 Oct;63(10):1753-60. doi: 10.1002/pbc.26079.
