Ultrasound-assisted intravesical chemotherapy

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15971
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 42020:Veterinary medical science-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Sasaki Noboru 北海道大学, 獣医学研究院, 助教 (00754532)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ソノポレーション / 膀胱注入療法 / ピラルビシン / 非筋層浸潤膀胱癌 / マイクロバブル / 超音波

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Intravesical chemotherapy after transurethral resection is a treatment option in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The efficacy of intravesical chemotherapy is determined by cellular uptake of intravesical drugs. Therefore, drug delivery technologies in the urinary bladder are promising tools for enhancing the efficacy of intravesical chemotherapy. Ultrasound-triggered microbubbles cavitation may enhance the permeability of urothelium and thus may have a potential as a drug delivery technology in the urinary bladder.The aim of this preliminary safety study was to assess the systemic absorption of an intravesical drug that was delivered by ultrasound-triggered microbubble cavitation in the urinary bladder of normal dogs. The combination of ultrasound and microbubbles did not increase the plasma concentration of intravesical pirarubicin. Tissue pirarubicin concentration in the sonicated region was higher than that of the non-sonicated region in two of three dogs.

Free Research Field

超音波医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、抗がん剤の膀胱内注入療法に超音波と小さな気泡によるドラッグデリバリー法を組み合わせでも、抗がん剤による全身的な副作用を生じないことが示された。同時に、膀胱内に注入された抗がん剤がドラッグデリバリー法によって、より高濃度でがん組織に作用する可能性が示唆された。これらの結果から、超音波と小さな気泡によるドラッグデリバリー法は膀胱癌の標準治療の1つである抗がん剤の膀胱内注入療法の効果を安全に高める方法と証明できたと考えられる。