Ultrasound-Mediated Drug Delivery in Cancer Therapy: A Review

Abstract

The use of ultrasound as a medical diagnostic tool began in the 1940s. Ever since, the medical applications of ultrasound have included imaging, tumor ablation, and lithotripsy; however, an ever-increasing body of literature demonstrates that ultrasound has potential in other medical applications, including targeted drug delivery. Site-specific drug delivery involves delivering drugs to diseased areas with a high degree of precision, which is particularly advantageous in cancer treatment as it would minimize the adverse side effects experienced by patients. This review addresses the ability of ultrasound to induce localized and controlled drug release from nanocarriers, namely micelles and liposomes, utilizing thermal and/or mechanical effects. The interactions of ultrasound with micelles and liposomes, the effects of the lipid composition, and ultrasound parameters on the release of encapsulated drugs are discussed. In addition, a survey of the literature detailing some in vitro and in vivo ultrasound triggered drug delivery systems is presented.

Modeling of Anti-Cancer Drug Release Kinetics From Liposomes and Micelles: A Review

“…The mechanical effects of US manifest in the form of acoustic cavitation, which is the formation, growth, and collapse of gas-filled cavities in a medium due to pressure changes. US-responsive nanocarriers are stable while circulating through the body but destabilize when exposed to the thermal effects of US, mechanical effects of US, or a combination of both [12]. US-mediated drug delivery is noninvasive and readily available with high penetration ability.…”

Characterization and Anticancer Effects of Folate Targeted Inotodiol Liposome From Inonotus Obliquus (Chaga Mushroom)

“…To date, targeted therapies are being effectively used for many common cancer types, including liver cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, colorectal cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer, and thyroid cancer as well as other cancer types [7].…”

Cytotoxic Effects of Flubendazole in Human Lung Cancer Cell Line A549

“…Cancer is a global public health problem, and massive expenses are annually spent on research to prevent and treat this disease. Its standard treatment approaches include surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy (1,2). Among them, chemotherapy has been one of the most effective and potent methods for the treatment of malignant tumors.…”