Transdermal Drug delivery: A step towards treatment of cancer.

BACKGROUND Transdermal drug delivery is an emerging and tempting system over oral and hypodermic drug delivery system. With the new developments in skin penetration techniques, anticancer drugs ranging from hydrophilic macromolecules to lipophilic drugs can be administered via transdermal route to treat cancer. OBJECTIVE In the present review, various approaches to enhance the transdermal delivery of drugs is discussed including the micro and nanotechnology based transdermal formulations like chemotherapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, phototherapy, vaccines and medical devices. Limitations and advantages of various transdermal technologies is also elaborated. METHOD In this review, patent applications and recent literature of transdermal drug delivery systems employed to cure mainly cancer are covered. RESULTS Transdermal drug delivery systems have proved their potential to cure cancer. They increase the bioavailability of drug by site specific drug delivery and can reduce the side effects/toxicity associated with anticancer drugs. CONCLUSION The potential of transdermal drug delivery systems to carry the drug may unclutter novel ways for therapeutic intercessions in various tumors.