Clinical applications of magnetic drug targeting

Cancer patients often present with localized disease. Yet, surgical eradica tion or radiation treatment is not always possible or meaningful. Site-dire cted drug targeting is one way of local or regional antitumor treatment. Ma gnetically controlled drug targeting is one of the various possibilities of drug targeting. This technology is based on binding established anticancer drugs with ferrofiuids that concentrate the drug in the area of interest ( tumor site) by means of magnetic fields. Then, the drug desorbs from the fe rrofluid and enfolds its mechanism of action. This paper gives the reader a n overview of current applications of ferrofluids (magnetic liquids) in con junction with magnetic fields as they relate to the latest advances in medi cal applications and in particular to anticancer treatment. (C) 2000 Academ ic Press.