Development of Intratumoral Drug Delivery Based Strategies for Antitumor Therapy

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Systemic drug administration for tumor treatment faces challenges with efficacy and safety due to biodistribution.
• Intratumoral delivery aims to enhance drug accumulation within tumors, potentially reducing systemic side effects.
• Various drug carriers like hydrogels, nanoparticles, and microneedles are being investigated for direct tumor injection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review different drug carriers used for intratumoral delivery.
• To discuss current advancements in intratumoral therapy strategies integrated with various treatment modalities.
• To identify barriers hindering the widespread clinical application of intratumoral drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of research on intratumoral drug delivery systems.
• Analysis of integrated therapeutic strategies including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and phototherapy.
• Discussion of challenges such as drug penetration, expulsion, and injection techniques.

Main Results:

• Intratumoral delivery using diverse carriers can achieve targeted tumor therapy and minimize side effects.
• Integration with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and phototherapy shows promising clinical potential.
• Significant barriers remain, including poor drug penetration, expulsion from the tumor site, and immature injection techniques.

Conclusions:

• Intratumoral delivery presents a promising approach for cancer treatment, offering localized efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity.
• Overcoming barriers related to drug penetration, retention, and delivery techniques is crucial for clinical translation.
• Further research and development are needed to optimize intratumoral strategies for broader application in cancer therapy.