Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Solid Tumor Treatment

Cytotoxic chemo- or radiotherapy of cancer is limited by serious, sometimes life-threatening, side effects that arise from toxicities to healthy tissues because the therapies are not selective for malignant cells. In this chapter we described the use of polymeric drug delivery systems (DDSs) for anticancer drugs that are used to treat solid tumors either locally or systemically. Locally injected formulations have increased the concentration of the drug at the tumor site, while systemically injected nanoparticles can also passively or actively target undetected metastases. We presented a thorough discussion of different types of in situ forming injectable hydrogels, followed by various micro- and nanoparticulate systems. Finally, the role of polymeric DDS in addressing the multidrug resistance, different cell populations in the tumor, and angiogenesis by delivering combined therapeutic agents was also discussed.