3D printed films kill over 80% of liver cancer cells

CANBERRA, April 16, (Xinhua): Films that are 3D printed and loaded with drugs could revolutionize cancer treatments, world-first Australian research has found.

According to a new study, the post-surgery films -- which were designed by a team from the University of South Australia (UniSA) -- are capable of killing more than 80 percent of liver cancer cells and significantly reducing recurrence rates.

Created from gels, the films are loaded with tailored doses of anticancer drugs 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and cisplatin (Cis) and placed at the exact surgical site where cancer has been removed to deliver localized drugs, treating residual cancer cells and minimizing the toxic side effects of chemotherapy.

In addition to liver cancer, the study said the films also have the potential to treat other cancers where 5FU and Cis have previously proven successful, including ovarian cancer and head and neck cancer.

Souha Youssef, a co-author of the study from the Center for Pharmaceutical Innovation at UniSA, said that the films could revolutionize liver cancer treatments by bridging the gap for patients who discontinue post-surgery chemotherapy due to the debilitating side effects.

“There are striking statistics that show how many patients choose to discontinue treatment due to its aggressiveness and how it is affecting their quality of life,” she said in a media release on Monday.

“This targeted approach releases the drugs into the exact cavity and lower amounts into the bloodstream which otherwise cause serious side effects at high doses.”

The films are loaded with exact doses of the drugs that are delivered over 23 days and are biodegradable, eliminating the need for surgical removal.

By using state-of-the-art 3D printers, researchers were able to tailor protocols for each patient to deliver superior treatment.

Separate research published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2022 found that in 2020 an estimated 905,700 people were diagnosed with, and 830,200 people died from, liver cancer globally.