Liposomal 5-Fluorouracil Polymer Complexes Facilitate Tumor-Specific Delivery: Pharmaco-Distribution Kinetics Using Microdialysis

Abstract

Liposomes are widely used as carriers for anticancer drugs due to their ability to prolong the retention of encapsulated drugs in blood plasma while directing their distribution increasingly into tumor tissue. We report on the development of stealth liposomal formulations for the common chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil, where pharmacokinetic studies were undertaken using a microdialysis probe to specifically quantify drug accumulation in tumor, which was contrasted to drug exposure to healthy tissue. Greater accumulation of the drug into the tumor than into healthy subcutaneous tissue was observed for neutral and cationic liposomal 5-fluorouracil polymer complexes in comparison to the conventional delivery by an injected solution. Increased drug accumulation in tumor also correlated to reduced tumor growth. This research has generated new mechanistic insight into liposomal-specific delivery to tumors with potential to improve the efficacy and reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy.