Polymeric drug delivery systems for localized cancer chemotherapy.
Cancer has become one of the most difficult health challenges of our time, accounting for millions of deaths yearly. Systemic chemotherapy is the most common therapeutic approach; however, considerable limitations exist including toxicities to healthy tissues and low achievable drug concentrations at tumor sites. More than 85% of human cancers are solid tumors, which can greatly benefit from localized delivery. This approach allows for high drug concentrations at the target site, lower systemic toxicity, and extended drug exposure which may be beneficial for cell cycle-specific drugs. Polymers have been widely considered in the development of localized delivery systems. This review focuses on both natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers that have been explored for localized chemotherapy, exploring their advantages, disadvantages, and clinical potential while citing examples of their use in pre-clinical development.
De Souza
Raquel
R
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S-3M2, Canada.
Zahedi
Payam
P
Allen
Christine J
CJ
Piquette-Miller
Micheline
M
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001704:Biopolymers; D004337:Drug Carriers; D011108:Polymers