Pharmaceutical research
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Pharmaceutical research · Jul 2000
Injectable chemotherapeutic microspheres and glioma II: enhanced survival following implantation into deep inoperable tumors.
Delivery of chemotherapeutics using implantable, biodegradable polymers provides a potentially powerful method of treating brain tumors. The present studies examined the ability of injectable microspheres, formulated to release carboplatin or BCNU for 2-3 weeks, to enhance survival in a rodent model of deep, inoperable glioma. ⋯ Together, these data: (1) demonstrate that sustained delivery of chemotherapy in or near the tumor site is superior to equipotent bolus doses in inoperable tumors, (2) demonstrate that injection of sustained release microspheres into the tissue surrounding a growing tumor may provide superior effects over injections directly into the tumor mass, and (3) suggest that this approach may provide a useful means of selectively delivering chemotherapeutics to tumors or portions of tumors that cannot otherwise be treated with conventional surgical approaches.
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Pharmaceutical research · Jul 2000
Injectable chemotherapeutic microspheres and glioma I: enhanced survival following implantation into the cavity wall of debulked tumors.
Implantation of biodegradable polymers provides a powerful method to deliver high, sustained concentrations of chemotherapeutics to brain tumors. The present studies examined the ability of injectable polymeric microspheres, formulated to release carboplatin or BCNU for 2-3 weeks, to enhance survival in a rodent model of surgically-resected glioma. ⋯ These data demonstrate: (1) that sustained delivery of chemotherapy is superior to equipotent bolus doses following tumor resection, and (2) that direct injection of sustained release microspheres into the tissue surrounding a growing tumor mass may provide superior effects over injections into the surgical cavity. They also suggest that successful implementation of this approach in humans may require measures or circumstances that improve upon the limited spatial drug diffusion from the implantation site.