Local drug delivery to the brain

The controlled local delivery of antineoplastic agents by biodegradable polymers is a technique that allows for exposure of tumor cells to therapeutic doses of an active agent for prolonged periods of time while avoiding high systemic doses associated with debilitating toxicities. The use of polymers for chemotherapy delivery expands the spectrum of available treatment of neoplasms in the central nervous system, and facilitates new approaches for the treatment of malignant gliomas. In this article, we discuss the rationale and history of the development and use of these polymers, and review the various agents that have used this technology to treat malignant brain tumors. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.