HPLC methods for quantifying anticancer drugs in human samples: A systematic review
Reyhaneh Sabourian1, Seyedeh Zohreh Mirjalili1, Negar Namini2
1Drug and Food Control Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
Analytical Biochemistry
|August 9, 2020
Summary
This review summarizes HPLC methods for analyzing anticancer drugs in biological samples. Mass spectrometry (MS) detectors are preferred for quantifying multiple drugs or drugs with metabolites.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Pharmacology
- Oncology
Background:
- Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies are essential for optimizing anticancer drug dosage and treatment schedules.
- Understanding drug metabolism in biological samples requires sensitive analytical methods.
- Simultaneous quantification of multiple anticancer drugs offers benefits in clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and categorize High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methods for anticancer drug analysis in biological samples.
- To identify trends in detector utilization for single-drug versus multi-drug/metabolite quantification.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search conducted on PubMed Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases.
- Inclusion of 116 studies reporting HPLC methods for anticancer drug analysis.
- Categorization of methods based on analytical objectives (single drug vs. drug and metabolite quantification).
Main Results:
- For single anticancer drug quantification, both Mass Spectrometry (MS) and Ultraviolet (UV) detectors were used comparably.
- When quantifying both the drug and its metabolite(s) in a single analytical run, MS detectors were predominantly employed.
- The review identified a significant body of research utilizing HPLC for drug analysis in oncology.
Conclusions:
- The choice of detector in HPLC methods for anticancer drugs depends on the analytical goal.
- MS detectors offer superior capabilities for simultaneous quantification of drugs and their metabolites, crucial for comprehensive PK studies.
- This review provides valuable insights for researchers developing new analytical methods and selecting appropriate detectors in cancer drug analysis.
