RIGHT SPOT AT RIGHT TIME: After removal of a mammary tumor from the breast of a mouse (3–4), a biocompatible gel scaffold loaded with T cells (1–2) is implanted at the resection site (6–9). There the scaffold acts as a reservoir, slowly releasing anticancer immune cells that attack residual tumor cells. (Black circles denote tumor-draining lymph nodes.)COURTESY MATTHIAS STEPHAN
Some immunotherapies harness specially engineered patient-specific cells to fight tumors and blood-borne cancers. But traditional intravenous methods of administering such therapies still struggle to deliver the treatment. The targeted immune cells are often lost—destroyed in the bloodstream or eradicated by the hostile tumor microenvironment before they’ve served their purpose.
Biodegradable polymers could provide a solution to such delivery problems. From enhancing the repair of damaged spinal discs to releasing antibiotics that prevent infection after surgery, clinicians have loaded these so-called scaffolds with drugs and then implanted them near the treatment area. The scaffold dissolves after the drugs are released.
Scientists are also developing biocompatible scaffolds specifically designed to deliver tumor-reactive immune cells directly to a cancer site. These implants and gels create a safe local ...
