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Al B. Benson III, MD, FACP, FASCO
Al B. Benson III, MD, FACP, FASCO
Posted: Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Guangyan Si, PhD, of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China, and colleagues investigated the use of nanomaterial as a delivery platform of antineoplastic agents for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Published in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology, the investigators summarized recent advancements regarding the synergistic anticancer role nanoplatforms may have when combined with TACE.
“We believe that the most significant advantage of multifunctional nanoplatforms in TACE treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is that [they] cannot only improve the distribution of chemotherapy drugs in local tumor tissues, but also avoid the serious side effects caused by systemic drug administration,” stated the investigators.
The researchers conducted a review of previous relevant studies regarding the improvement of TACE nanomaterials in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. They found that functionalizing nanomaterials may achieve high drug-loading efficacy thorough vascular embolization, tumor targeting, controlled sustained release of the drugs, and real-time imaging in the TACE process to facilitate precise embolization and enable follow-up images of tumor lesions. Further, the targetability of a nanocarrier has been shown to improve treatment efficacy and reduce side effects during TACE. This can be accomplished by active targeting, selectively binding to liver tumor receptors, and improving distribution of chemotherapy agents, thereby minimizing recurrence and metastasis. Additionally, nanocarriers may facilitate drug delivery, mainly by enhancing drug-loading efficiency and intracellular uptake.
This novel approach with functionalized nanomaterials for TACE may lead to improvements in the therapeutic effect of TACE for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, with the potential to enhance the effectiveness of this treatment strategy, according to the study authors.
Disclosure: The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
