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Magnetic nanoparticles-based targeted drug delivery system in tumor pain management
Xiaoli Lv1, Fei Wang1, Xiaomei Liu2
1Department of Oncology, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Lanzhou 730050, Gansu Province, PR China.
Background:
the precise management of tumor-related pain is a critical challenge in improving the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients. This study aimed to develop a magnetic nanoparticle-based transdermal drug delivery system (MNPs-TDDS) using green nanotechnology, incorporating folic acid targeting and magnetic-controlled release mechanisms, to achieve efficient and low-toxicity pain intervention.
Methods:
folic acid-modified magnetic nanocomplexes (catHEC·FA@SPIO) were synthesized via a water-phase co-precipitation method. The structural and morphological characteristics were verified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A total of 70 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients were enrolled and randomly divided into the experimental group (EG, MNPs-TDDS) and the control group (CG, conventional analgesia). Pain scores (NRS), psychological status (SAS/SDS), activities of daily living (Barthel index), and cancer cell apoptosis rates were assessed.
Results:
the particle size of catHEC·FA@SPIO was 150±20 nm, exhibiting pH-responsive release properties (82.4 % cumulative release over 72 h at pH 5.5). The NRS scores (2.35±0.47 vs. 4.47±0.87), SAS (41.46±1.13 vs. 55.32±1.24), and SDS (40.06±0.75 vs. 54.11±1.52) in the EG were significantly lower than those in the CG (P < 0.05), with cytotoxicity to normal cells being under 10 %. The nursing satisfaction rate in the EG was 94.29 %, significantly higher than the 68.57 % in the CG (P < 0.001).
Conclusion:
this study is the first to combine a green synthesis strategy with multidimensional clinical evaluation, demonstrating the comprehensive advantages of MNPs-TDDS in pain relief, improving psychological state, and enhancing activities of daily living. This approach provides an innovative solution for the precise management of tumor-related pain. Future research should further validate its long-term safety and applicability across various cancer types.
