The efficacy of magnetically-controlled drug targeting (MDT) depends on phy
siological parameters. To understand its mechanism of action on the tissue
at the microcirculatory level, we identified the ferrofluids potential (its
biological effects, its bioavailability and the in vivo desorption time of
the anticancer drug epirubicin). Mechanical tumor embolization was possibl
e, but successful tumor treatment was sometimes bypassed by a developing co
llateral circulation. Thus, MDT-treatment was used successfully in mice and
in man. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.