Local Drug Delivery Strategies for Glioblastoma Treatment

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a brain tumor notorious for its malignancy. The key reason for the lim- ited efficacy of standard treatment is the high recurrence rate of GBM, even after surgical resection. Hence, intensive postsurgical chemical therapies, such as the systemic delivery of various drugs and/ or drug combinations, are typically followed after surgery. However, overcoming the blood-brain barrier by systemic administration to efficiently deliver drugs to the brain tumor remains a daunting goal. There- fore, various local drug delivery methods showing potential for improved therapeutic efficacy have been proposed. In particular, the recent application of electronic devices for the controlled delivery of che- motherapy drugs to GBM tissue has attracted attention. We herein review the recent progress of local drug delivery strategies, including electronics-assisted strategies, at the research and commercial level. We also present a brief discussion of the unsolved challenges and future research direction of localized chemotherapy methods for GBM.