Abstract

COLON TARGETED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM TO TREAT COLORECTAL CANCER: A REVIEW

Jasvir Kaur, Geeta Aggarwal, Anu Mahajan* and Satvinder Kaur

ABSTRACT

Colorectal cancer develops from the polyps (outgrowths) formed into the distal part of digestive system. These polyps are known as adenomas and are precursors to cancer. Once the development of colorectal cancer starts, it can further spread to other body parts via lining and wall of colon and rectum. Depending on the stage of colorectal cancer, it can be treated either by chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy or by immunotherapy. Following chemotherapy various approaches have been employed by researchers for targeting drugs successfully to the colonic region by circumventing the upper part of gastrointestinal tract. These approaches include pH-dependent, time-dependent and microflora-activated systems. As colon is rich in aerobic and anaerobic microflora, thus microflora activated systems can be used efficiently to deliver drug molecule to the target site. Various drug molecules have been reported to treat and prevent colorectal cancer, provided an efficient carrier system is developed that can deliver drug molecule to the colonic region only. This review will mainly focus on some possible approaches which can be successful to achieve drug targeting to colon to treat colorectal cancer.

Keywords: colorectal cancer, colon targeted delivery, colon cancer, drug candidates for colorectal cancer.