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Updated: Nov 26, 2025
Three-Dimensional Bone Extracellular Matrix Model for Osteosarcoma
Published on: April 12, 2019
Chitosan applications in studying and managing osteosarcoma
Parisa Maleki Dana1, Jamal Hallajzadeh2, Zatollah Asemi1
1Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
Abstract:
Osteosarcoma has a high prevalence among children and adolescents. Common treatments of this disease are not promising enough. Molecular processes involved in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma are not fully understood. Besides, the remnants of tumor cells after surgery can cause bone destruction and recurrence of the disease. Thus, there is a need to develop novel drugs or enhancing the currently-used drugs as well as identifying bone-repairing methods. Chitosan is a natural compound produced by the deacetylation of chitin. Research has shown that chitosan can be used in various fields due to its beneficial effects, such as biodegradability and biocompatibility. Regarding cancer, chitosan exerts several anti-tumor activities. Moreover, it can be used in diagnostic techniques, drug delivery systems, and cell culture methods. Herein, we aim to discuss the potential roles of chitosan in studying and treating osteosarcoma. We review the literature on chitosan's applications as a drug delivery system and how it can be combined with other substances to improve its ability of local drug delivery. We take a look into the studies concerning the possible benefits of chitosan in the field of bone tissue engineering and 3D culturing. Furthermore, anti-cancer activities of different compounds of chitosan are reviewed.
Insights
Chitosan shows promise for treating osteosarcoma, a bone cancer common in children. This natural compound offers anti-tumor effects and potential in drug delivery and bone repair strategies.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Oncology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Osteosarcoma is a prevalent bone cancer in children and adolescents with suboptimal treatment outcomes.
- Tumor cell remnants post-surgery can lead to bone destruction and disease recurrence.
- Current therapeutic strategies for osteosarcoma require enhancement and novel approaches for bone repair.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential applications of chitosan in osteosarcoma research and treatment.
- To review chitosan's role in drug delivery systems for localized cancer therapy.
- To examine chitosan's utility in bone tissue engineering and 3D cell culturing for osteosarcoma.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of chitosan's properties and applications in cancer research.
- Analysis of studies on chitosan-based drug delivery systems for osteosarcoma.
- Investigation of research on chitosan in bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Main Results:
- Chitosan exhibits biodegradability, biocompatibility, and significant anti-tumor activities.
- Chitosan can be engineered into advanced drug delivery systems for enhanced local therapy.
- Chitosan demonstrates potential in bone tissue regeneration and 3D cell culture models.
Conclusions:
- Chitosan presents a versatile biomaterial for advancing osteosarcoma treatment and study.
- Its applications span from targeted drug delivery to bone regeneration, addressing critical challenges in osteosarcoma care.
