[Enhanced chemotherapeutic drug delivery to tumor tissue by high intensity focused ultrasound].
Cancer is the first leading cause of death in Korea. Systemic chemotherapy is currently the standard treatment for a wide variety of cancers; however, in the majority of cases, cure is not achieved, and the attendant side effects of the treatment are considerable. The effectiveness of chemotherapy in cancers depends on the adequate delivery of the chemotherapeutic agent to cancer cells. The achievement of uniform drug delivery of chemotherapeutic agents throughout tumors is limited by the anomalous vascularization and blood vessel permeability. Ultrasound has an ever-increasing role in the delivery of therapeutic agents including chemotherapeutic agents, proteins, and genetic materials. Ultrasound technology allows for the use of focused ultrasound energy for therapeutic purposes by delivering high-intensity focused ultrasound for applications such as tissue ablation, and enhanced drug delivery. We reviewed recent work in the emerging field of ultrasound-based therapeutics, with particular emphasis on the delivery of drugs to tumor tissue.
Jung
Jin Tae
JT
Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. jungjt@cu.ac.kr
Lee
Don Haeng
DH
Hwang
Joo Ha
JH
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014465:Ultrasonics
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents