title: Biomaterial-Based Implantable Devices for Cancer Therapy.
abstract: This review article focuses on the current local therapies mediated by implanted macroscaled biomaterials available or proposed for fighting cancer and also highlights the upcoming research in this field. Several authoritative review articles have collected and discussed the state-of-the-art as well as the advancements in using biomaterial-based micro- and nano-particle systems for drug delivery in cancer therapy. On the other hand, implantable biomaterial devices are emerging as highly versatile therapeutic platforms, which deserve an increased attention by the healthcare scientific community, as they are able to offer innovative, more effective and creative strategies against tumors. This review summarizes the current approaches which exploit biomaterial-based devices as implantable tools for locally administrating drugs and describes their specific medical applications, which mainly target resected brain tumors or brain metastases for the inaccessibility of conventional chemotherapies. Moreover, a special focus in this review is given to innovative approaches, such as combined delivery therapies, as well as to alternative approaches, such as scaffolds for gene therapy, cancer immunotherapy and metastatic cell capture, the later as promising future trends in implantable biomaterials for cancer applications.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences, One West University Blvd, Brownsville, TX, 78520, USA.
authors.forename: Sue Anne
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.affiliation: University of Pisa, Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, Largo L. Lazzarino 2, 56122, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Danti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004343:Drug Implants; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004343:Drug Implants
keywords: cancer; chemotherapy; glioma; immunotherapy; scaffolds