Enhancing the uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs into tumors using an "artificial lymphatic system"

This paper presents findings from uptake studies to evaluate the ability of an "artificial lymphatic system" (ALS) to enhance large and small molecula r weight drug transport into solid tumors and the therapeutic effect of the additional drug on their growth. These studies also served to test the eff ectiveness of an implantable multidrain ALS. Walker 256, Neuroblastoma, and Sarcoma dual-tumor models were used to evaluate the effect of ALS aspirati on on the uptake of 3F8 monoclonal antibody, and doxorubicin. A tumor shrin kage experiment using Walker 256 dual tumors was used to evaluate the effic acy of an implantable ALS with cyclophosphamide chemotherapy. Drug uptake s ignificantly increased in all aspirated tumors; 3F8 uptake was enhanced 37. 4% in the Walker and 93.1% in the Neuroblastoma tumor lines (p<0.05). Doxor ubicin uptake increased 23.2% in Sarcoma tumor (p<0.05). The shrinkage stud y demonstrated that one-drain aspirated tumors shrank 90% faster (p<0.01) t han control tumors, while three-drain aspirated tumors shrank 123% faster t han control tumors (p<0.01). (C) 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society. [S009 0-6964(00)00705-0].