Advancing Patient Care: The Role of Polymer-Based Drug Delivery in Cancer Treatment

By Taha KhanReviewed by Lexie CornerApr 4 2024

Materials science plays a vital role in cancer care, particularly through the development of innovative polymer-based drug delivery systems. These systems enhance precision targeting and treatment specificity while minimizing side effects.

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Encapsulating drugs within biocompatible polymers allows for controlled release and extended circulation time, optimizing treatment efficacy. These systems also offer tailored formulations, accommodating diverse drug properties and patient needs.

This article discusses polymer-based drug delivery systems and their significance in cancer treatment.

What Are Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems?

Traditional cancer treatments, particularly chemotherapies, often result in severe side effects because the drugs are distributed throughout the body. To address this, researchers are utilizing advanced coating technologies and medical devices to develop polymer-based drug delivery systems that provide a more targeted approach.

These systems use microscopic carriers, typically nanoparticles, formed from natural biocompatible polymers such as chitosan, as well as synthetic biocompatible polymers like polylactic acid (PLA). Drugs can be encapsulated within these carriers or chemically bonded to their surface, enhancing the drugs' stability and ensuring their delivery directly to the target site.^{1, 2}

These polymers can also be functionalized with specific molecules that bind to receptors on cancer cells. This allows the drug-loaded carriers, equipped with medical device coatings, to navigate the bloodstream and selectively accumulate at the tumor site, minimizing damage to healthy tissues.

For instance, polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a commonly used synthetic polymer known to improve circulation time and reduce unwanted immune system interactions with the carrier.^{3, 4}

Enhancing Treatment Efficacy and Patient Outcomes

Polymer-based drug delivery systems significantly enhance treatment effectiveness and patient well-being by delivering drugs directly to tumor sites. By directing drugs straight to tumors, these systems reduce exposure to healthy tissues, leading to fewer side effects like nausea, hair loss, and nerve damage.⁵

Nanoparticle-based Drug Delivery Systems

Cancer cells can develop resistance to traditional chemotherapy drugs. Nanoparticle-based delivery systems can bypass these resistance mechanisms by delivering drugs directly to the intracellular targets within the tumor.

For instance, Doxil®, the first FDA-approved nano-drug and a liposome-encapsulated form of doxorubicin (DOX), significantly reduces the risk of cardiac toxicity—a major concern with this chemotherapy agent. Due to the enhanced permeability and retention effect, Doxil® passively targets tumors, releases DOX, and becomes available to tumor cells.^6,7

Similarly, a 2019 study explored the impact of different anthracycline formulations on cardiotoxicity using a large animal model. They administered DOX, epirubicin (EPI), and liposomal DOX to domestic pigs and evaluated cardiac effects using various methods.⁶

While all groups exhibited cardiotoxicity, liposomal DOX showed reduced myocardial damage compared to free DOX. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that DOX downregulated interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), while liposomal DOX upregulated them, suggesting cardioprotective properties.

Despite differences in cardiotoxicity, all treatments induced cardiac fibrosis. This study emphasizes the importance of liposomal DOX in reducing cardiotoxicity and highlights potential strategies for mitigating anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy.⁸

Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Various Cancer Types

Polymer-based drug delivery systems are versatile, with applications across a wide range of cancer types.

In a study, researchers explored the application of polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) as drug delivery systems in various cancer treatments. The researchers focused on PNPs for their efficient transport of medicinal substances directly to tumor sites, thereby minimizing harm to healthy cells.

Thanks to their customizable size, shape, and composition, PNPs are adaptable for treating different cancers, such as colorectal, breast, ovarian, and glioblastoma multiforme.⁴

These nanoparticles provide several advantages, including targeted drug delivery, the ability to overcome the challenges of the blood-brain barrier, and reduced side effects. PNPs can be used alone or in combination with other therapies like chemotherapy and immunotherapy, showing promise in enhancing treatment efficacy and reducing drug resistance.⁴

Overcoming Challenges Through Innovation

Polymer-based drug delivery systems face several challenges, including polymer toxicity, patient variability, and regulatory complexities. Addressing these challenges is crucial for the potential revolutionization of cancer treatment.

The effectiveness of these drug delivery systems can vary significantly due to the complex biological and physiological differences among patients. Thus, the development of precision targeting strategies tailored to individual patients is imperative.

Biocompatible Coatings

Researchers are tackling the problem of toxicity by introducing novel biodegradable and biocompatible polymer coatings designed for drug delivery.

In one recent study, researchers created biodegradable polycarbonate graft copolymer nanoparticles capable of efficiently attaching and releasing the anticancer drug S-(+)-camptothecin (CPT). They achieved controlled drug loading and enhanced stability by conjugating camptothecin to the polymer backbone, enabling precise drug release.

These nanoparticles self-assembled into spherical structures, exhibiting colloidal stability and selective cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines while sparing non-cancerous cells.⁹

Through live cell experiments, it was observed that cancer cells efficiently internalized the drug-polymer conjugate, leading to cell death, while non-cancerous cells excreted the nanoparticles, maintaining viability.

This targeted drug delivery system exploits cancer cells' dysfunctional vesicular trafficking, providing a strategy for cancer therapy without the need for targeting ligands.⁹

The Future of Polymer-Based Drug Delivery

Polymer-based drug delivery systems, which utilize innovative materials such as biocompatible polymers, enable the precise targeting of tumors while minimizing adverse effects on healthy tissues. This approach enhances treatment efficacy and patient outcomes.⁹

The future of cancer care is, therefore, coupled with ongoing research in polymer science, poised to bring groundbreaking discoveries that could further revolutionize therapy.

For polymer-based drug delivery systems to evolve further, interdisciplinary collaboration between material scientists, clinicians, and engineers is crucial. This will help reduce the gap between worldwide laboratory innovations and clinical applications.

More from AZoM: Revolutionizing Medical Devices with Advanced Coating Techniques

References and Further Reading

1. Ding, L., Agrawal, P., Singh, K., Chhonker, YS., Sun, J., Murry, D. J. (2024). Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapeutics. Polymers. doi.org/10.3390/polym16060843
2. Ma, Z., Li, X., Jia, X., Bai, J., Jiang, X. (2016). Folate‐Conjugated Polylactic Acid–Silica Hybrid Nanoparticles as Degradable Carriers for Targeted Drug Delivery, On‐Demand Release and Simultaneous Self‐Clearance. ChemPlusChem. doi.org/10.1002/cplu.201600100
3. Senapati, S., Mahanta, AK., Kumar, S., Maiti, P. (2018). Controlled drug delivery vehicles for cancer treatment and their performance. Signal transduction and targeted therapy. doi.org/10.1038/s41392-017-0004-3
4. Madej, M., Kurowska, N., Strzalka-Mrozik, B. (2022). Polymeric nanoparticles—Tools in a drug delivery system in selected cancer therapies. Applied Sciences. doi.org/10.3390/app12199479
5. Haider, M., Zaki, KZ., El Hamshary, MR., Hussain, Z., Orive, G., Ibrahim, H. O. (2022). Polymeric nanocarriers: A promising tool for early diagnosis and efficient treatment of colorectal cancer. Journal of advanced research. doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2021.11.008
6. Barenholz, Y. C. (2012). Doxil®—The first FDA-approved nano-drug: Lessons learned. Journal of controlled release. doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2012.03.020
7. Karen Arnold-Korzeniowski. (2023). Doxorubicin Liposomal (Doxil®). [Online] Oncolink. Available at: https://www.oncolink.org/cancer-treatment/oncolink-rx/doxorubicin-liposomal-doxil-r (Accessed on 26 March 2024).
8. Gyöngyösi, M., et al. (2020). Liposomal doxorubicin attenuates cardiotoxicity via induction of interferon-related DNA damage resistance. Cardiovascular research. doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvz192
9. Arno, MC., Simpson, JD., Blackman, LD., Brannigan, RP., Thurecht, KJ., Dove, AP. (2023). Enhanced drug delivery to cancer cells through a pH-sensitive polycarbonate platform. Biomaterials Science. doi.org/10.1039/D2BM01626E

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