The effect of locally implanted complexes of adriamycin-hydroxyapatite complexes on tumor--study of a new alternative treatment for hepatic cancer.

A new targeting anticancer system was prepared by using hydroxyapatite particles (2 mm in diameter) as carrier material and adriamycin as anticancer agent. The adsorption and release properties of the complexes were assayed by fluorometry in vivo and in vitro and the curative effect on W-256 sarcoma of rat was observed. The results showed that one particle of hydroxyapatite could adsorb approximately 0.08 mg adriamycin and they can maintain a steady and slow release of adriamycin from hydroxyapatite for one month. When hydroxyapatite-adriamycin complexes were implanted into the liver of rat, liver adriamycin concentration at the implanted region was obviously higher than that achieved by injection of adriamycin solution. The locally implanted complexes obviously inhibited the growth of subcutaneous implanted tumor of rat, and increased the survival rate of rat with implanted liver tumor.