Polysaccharidic films loaded with anticancer drugs for locoregional therapy of malignant pleural mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is an insidious tumor arising from mesothelial surfaces of the pleural and peritoneal cavities. Mesothelioma is an aggressive tumor and the best survival data were observed after multimodality treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. Current treatment is unsatisfactory, local recurrence is common even after complete surgical resection combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In such cases, a locoregional approach for chemotherapy could be beneficial, assuring high local drug concentrations along with lower systemic exposure. The ideal drug delivery system for this type of local therapy should take into account the ease of use for the application in a surgical context. Polymeric films can be an alternative to liquid or semi-solid formulations. In this work films allow control of the drug dose applied, prolongation of drug release and controlled contact with the target surface.