Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Systems in Intraperitoneal Cancer Therapy

Intraperitoneal administration of chemotherapy offers a distinct pharmacological advantage by delivering high local concentrations of cytotoxic agents directly to peritoneal metastases while minimising systemic exposure. Traditional formulations suffer from rapid clearance from the peritoneal cavity, uneven tumour penetration and off-target toxicity. Nanoparticle-based carriers address these limitations by exploiting size, surface chemistry and material composition to achieve prolonged peritoneal residence, controlled drug release and enhanced tumour uptake. Polymeric, lipid-based and hybrid inorganic–organic systems have been engineered to navigate the peritoneal microenvironment, penetrate tumour nodules and release payloads in a sustained manner. Advances in carrier design include stimuli-responsive matrices, bioadhesive surfaces and multi-modal platforms that co-deliver chemotherapeutics alongside radiosensitisers or immunomodulators. Collectively, these innovations aim to extend drug exposure, reduce dosing frequency and improve quality of life for patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of ovarian, colorectal and other abdominal origins.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have advanced injectable microsphere and nanoparticle platforms to prolong intraperitoneal drug exposure and maximise antitumour efficacy. A genipin-crosslinked gelatin microsphere loaded with paclitaxel achieved sustained release over two weeks, resulting in increased survival and lower tumour burden in ovarian cancer models, although high-dose regimens revealed a need for optimised dosing to avoid local toxicity. Dual-drug nanofibrous microspheres co-encapsulating docetaxel and curcumin demonstrated synergistic induction of apoptosis and inhibition of angiogenesis against colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis, highlighting the benefit of combination therapy within a single carrier. Additionally, a two-step delivery strategy separated nanoparticle localisation from drug administration; nanoparticles first accumulate in the tumour bed, and subsequent systemic drug dosing partitions preferentially into the pre-deployed carriers, yielding more than a five-fold increase in intratumoral drug concentration without altering drug chemistry.

Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Systems in Intraperitoneal Cancer Therapy publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems in intraperitoneal cancer therapy across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy: regional delivery of anticancer agents directly into the peritoneal cavity to target peritoneal metastases.
Nanoparticle: a sub-micrometre colloidal carrier used to encapsulate or conjugate therapeutic agents, enabling controlled release and targeted delivery.
Sustained release: prolonged liberation of a drug over time to maintain therapeutic concentrations.
Biodistribution: the spatial distribution of a compound or carrier within biological compartments following administration.
Bioadhesion: the ability of a material to adhere to biological tissues, enhancing local retention of the drug delivery system.

References

1. Preclinical evaluation of local prolonged release of paclitaxel from gelatin microspheres for the prevention of recurrence of peritoneal carcinomatosis in advanced ovarian cancer. Scientific Reports (2019).
2. Dual Drug Loaded Biodegradable Nanofibrous Microsphere for Improving Anti-Colon Cancer Activity. Scientific Reports (2016).
3. Two-Step Delivery: Exploiting the Partition Coefficient Concept to Increase Intratumoral Paclitaxel Concentrations In vivo Using Responsive Nanoparticles. Scientific Reports (2016).
4. Intraperitoneal administration of cabazitaxel-loaded nanoparticles in peritoneal metastasis models. Nanomedicine Nanotechnology Biology and Medicine (2023).
5. Bioadhesive Nanoparticles for Local Drug Delivery. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2022).
6. PLGA Nanoparticles for the Intraperitoneal Administration of CBD in the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer: In Vitro and In Ovo Assessment. Pharmaceutics (2020).