[ CancerWeb Home
| Comments
| Up One Level ]
Original Summaries of Selected CANCERLIT Records
Drug Delivery For Localized Uterine Cervical Disease
Last modified on:
Tuesday, April 20, 1999 10:52:32
Copyright © 1994-2008, Information Ventures, Inc.
An interesting trial, carried out at the Queen's University of
Belfast, Northern Ireland (McCarron; ICDB/95615334), used a
cervical application analogous to a transdermal patch. Bioadhesion
of available polymers displaying bioadhesive properties was
achieved by designing and manufacturing a device that could
quantitatively determine bioadhesive strength. Polymers such as
sodium carboxymethylcellulose and Carbopol adhered strongly to the
substrate material, excised cervical tissue. 5-Fluorouracil (5FU)
was incorporated into films made from the bioadhesive polymers. A
polyvinylchloride backing layer prevented back-diffusion and drug
spill onto the vaginal epithelium. Release of 5FU from films and
penetration into cervical tissue was rapid, reaching distribution
equilibrium after approximately 4 hours. Increasing the patch dose
increased the drug found in layers of tissue at specified depths
from the tissue surface. Flux of 5FU through cervical tissue was
almost two orders of magnitude greater than through untreated human
skin. It was estimated that the patch was supplying 5FU at a level
almost 2000 times that shown to cause cell death. The efficacy of
the drug-loaded patch was studied in a double-blind clinical trial
in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I or II
who received a 20 mg 5FU patch applied for 24 hours. Regression
rates of CIN six months after application showed a remission rate
of 80.4% for the drug-loaded patch, in comparison to a rate of
70.4% for the placebo. These initial findings are disappointing in
that the remission rate in the control group was so high. Early-
stage CIN frequently regresses spontaneously, so later stage
disease might represent a better test system.
November, 1995
Copyright (c) 1994-2008, Information Ventures, Inc.
Mail us at: Customer-Service@infoventures.com
http://infoventures.com