Aim: To improve the drug concentration in liver metastases, docetaxel was encapsulated in polyethyleneglycol-liposomes and administered regionally with degradable starch microspheres (DSM).
Materials and methods: A rodent model of solitary metastasis (CC-531 adenocarcinoma) was studied. The animals were randomized into six groups and treated with 15 ng/kg docetaxel: I: intravenous (i.v.). II: PEG-liposomes i.v.; III: intraartial (i.a.) via the hepatica artery; IV: i.a.) + DSM; V: PEG-liposomes i.a.; and VI: PEG-liposomes i.a. + DSM. The docetaxel concentration in the serum, liver and liver tumor at defined times (5, 15, 30, 60,120 240 min and 24 h) was measured using HPLC.
Results: The area under the concentration (AUC) versus time curves showed an 11-fold higher concentration in the tumor tissue when comparing the docetaxel-PEG-liposomes i.a. + DSM group to the i.v. group (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Compared to intravenous therapy, i.a. therapy with docetaxel-PEG-liposomes + DSM results in higher tumor tissue concentrations.