Release kinetics of 5-fluorouracil-loaded microspheres on an experimental rat glioma.
BACKGROUND
Biodegradable loaded systems are promising devices for controlled and sustained release of anticancer drugs to brain tumours. We investigated the influence of drug-release profiles of 5-fluorouracil-loaded microspheres designed for the treatment of malignant gliomas.


METHODS
2.5 mg 5-FU delivered by either fast. (1 formulation) or slow-(2 formulations) 5-FU release microspheres (MS) were tested in C6-glioma rat brains. Tumor response was assessed by T2-weighted MRI.


RESULTS
All treated animals, whatever the release profile considered, displayed a comparable 50% increase in life span versus controls. Delays in C6-glioma development appeared to correspond to the in vitro release periods of MS. In terms of curative prospect, complete remission was only observed in 11% of 5-FU-treated animals (4 out of 38).


CONCLUSIONS
Formulation was unambiguously implicated in the response observed after local delivery of 5-FU to glioma.
Roullin
Valérie-Gaelle
VG
INSERM ERIT-M 0104, 10 rue A. Boquel, F-49100 Angers, France.
Lemaire
Laurent
L
Venier-Julienne
Marie-Claire
MC
Faisant
Nathalie
N
Franconi
Florence
F
Benoit
Jean-Pierre
JP
D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008863:Microspheres; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005472:Fluorouracil