Microbubbles: A Novel Strategy for Chemotherapy

Title:Microbubbles: A Novel Strategy for Chemotherapy

Volume: 23 Issue: 23

Author(s): Mu-hua Luo, Chih-Kuang Yeh, Bing Situ, Jin-sui Yu, Bing-cheng Li and Zhi-yi Chen*

Affiliation:

• Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150,China

Keywords: Ultrasound microbubbles, chemotherapy, molecular imaging, drug delivery, malignant tissues, cancer therapy.

Abstract: Background: Ultrasound microbubbles have conventionally been used for diagnostic purposes. In recent years, however, new types of microbubbles have emerged as important carriers for drug delivery. Moreover, studies have shown that ultrasound microbubbles can serve as valuable and noninvasive tools in cancer therapy; thus the use of ultrasound microbubbles to deliver chemotherapeutic drugs to malignant tissues is a promising possibility.

Methods: In this review, we briefly describe the status of ultrasound microbubbles in clinical practice and then discuss the development of targeted microbubbles. Finally, we consider novel strategies for the use of microbubbles in cancer therapy. Results: Many different kinds of microbubbles are emerged. Novel strategies of ultrasound microbubble have been shown to be effective in cancer therapy.

Conclusion: Although many problems need to be solved in the future, the ultrasound drugs loaded microbubbles still have strong potential for the use in clinical cancer therapy.

Cite this article as:

Luo Mu-hua, Yeh Chih-Kuang, Situ Bing, Yu Jin-sui, Li Bing-cheng and Chen Zhi-yi*, Microbubbles: A Novel Strategy for Chemotherapy, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2017; 23 (23) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612823666170113092148