Targeted and molecular therapies in Ewing sarcoma: a comprehensive review of preclinical and clinical advances.

introductionEwing sarcoma (EWS) is an aggressive small round blue cell malignancy driven by EWSR1::ETS fusions, with poor survival outcomes in metastatic and relapsed disease. While multimodal chemotherapy remains the cornerstone of therapy, emerging agents hold potential to overcome resistance and improve outcomes.

methodsA systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar through February 2026 identified 1,166 records. Following duplicate removal and two-stage screening, 87 preclinical and clinical studies were included. Data were extracted and synthesized narratively, with emphasis on therapeutic class, mechanism of action, side effects, and translational relevance.

resultsAcross therapeutic classes, several promising avenues emerged. Direct EWS-FLI1 targeting (TK216, trabectedin combinations, CRISPR-based approaches) demonstrated preliminary clinical and robust preclinical efficacy. IGF-1R inhibitors (linsitinib, ganitumab, and figitumumab) showed biological activity, though limited survival benefit in trials. CD99-directed therapies, including monoclonal antibodies and siRNA-nanoparticle conjugates, achieved synergy with chemotherapy in xenografts. PARP inhibitors exhibited preclinical efficacy, particularly in combination regimens, though monotherapy responses were modest in clinical cohorts. Kinase inhibitors targeting WEE1, DNA-PK, and Aurora A kinase, as well as multikinase TKIs (cabozantinib, regorafenib, and anlotinib), revealed varying degrees of cytotoxicity and disease stabilization. Epigenetic therapies, including LSD1, HDAC, and EZH2 inhibitors, attenuated EWS-FLI1 transcriptional programs and enhanced chemosensitivity. Immunotherapeutic approaches (immune checkpoint inhibitors, IGF-1R antibodies, Vigil vaccine) have so far yielded limited responses, though selected strategies showed potential benefit in subsets. Novel agents such as verteporfin, evofosfamide, and proteasome inhibitors further expanded the spectrum of vulnerabilities.

conclusionsTargeted and molecular therapies in EWS show significant promise, particularly in rational combinations that exploit the tumor's dependence on EWS-FLI1-driven transcriptional dysregulation, DNA damage repair deficiencies, or survival signaling. Future research must prioritize biomarker-driven patient selection, integration of multiomics approaches, and multicenter prospective trials to translate these strategies into clinically meaningful improvements in EWS survival.