[Clinical application of anticancer nanoparticles targeting metastasis foci of cervical lymph nodes in patients with oral carcinoma]

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the target delivery of Cucurbitacin BE (CuBE) to cervical lymph nodes by peri-oral-cancer submucosal injection of the average diameter 85 nm Cucurbitacin BE poly-lactic acid nanoparticles (CuBE-PLA-NP) and evaluate its clinical therapy efficacy.

Methods: CuBE and CuBE-PLA-NP were respectively injected into peri-oral-cancer submucosa at 2, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168 and 192 hours before operation in 26 patients with oral cancer. The concentrations of CuBE in cervical lymph nodes and blood were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at every time point. Cancer cell degeneration and necrosis in metastasis foci of cervical lymph nodes were observed using light microscope and electron microscope.

Results: (1) The CuBE concentrations in cervical lymph nodes after CuBE-PLA-NP injection were far higher than those after CuBE injection at every time point, the duration of CuBE existing in the cervical lymph nodes in CuBE-PLA-NP group was far longer than those in CuBE group, the area under the CuBE concentrations-time curve of the cervical lymph nodes in CuBE-PLA-NP group was 43.67 times as many as that in CuBE group; (2) The CuBE ratio of maximum concentrations in the cervical lymph nodes in CuBE-PLA-NP group was 106.46 times as high as that in CuBE group; (3) The CuBE concentrations in the blood in CuBE-PLA-NP group was far lower than that in CuBE group; (4) Cancer cell necrosis and degeneration in the metastasis foci of cervical lymph nodes were found in CuBE-PLA-NP group, necrosis and degeneration were not found in CuBE group.

Conclusion: The peri-oral-cancer submucosa injection of the average diameter of 85 nm CuBE-PLA-NP can specifically delivery CuBE to the cervical lymph nodes, enhance treatment efficiency, and reduce general toxicity.