• Evaluations of the challenges and benefits of using Pegylated doxorubicin liposomal form to reduce cardiac toxicity in patients with metastatic breast cancer
  • Zahra Farhoud Khomeirani,1,* Sepehr Bozorgchenani,2
    1. Department of veterinary, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad university
    2. Department of Bioinformatics, Tehran branch, Science and Culture University


  • Introduction: Breast cancer is metastatic cancer and can usually spread to distant organs such as bones, liver, lungs, and brain, mainly due to incurable causes. Early detection of the disease can lead to a good prognosis and a high survival rate. In the early stages of breast cancer, surgery alone can cure the patient, later adjuvant chemotherapy agents are planned to treat the micrometastatic stages. Despite demonstrating the benefits of chemotherapy agents in reducing the incidence of recurrence in breast cancer patients, a significant number of early-stage breast cancer patients develop an incurable metastatic disease. In this study, we investigate the proposed mechanisms of anti-cancer effects of doxorubicin, especially the liposomal form of pegylation to reduce cardiac toxicity in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
  • Methods: In this study, we searched for the effects of the (PLD) on breast cancer in Pubmed, Google Scholar, Online Wiley, and Springer databases.
  • Results: The reduction of cardiac toxicity in the liposomal form of PEGylated doxorubicin PLD has led to new side effects. Studies have shown that mucositis and PPE are the two most common complications of PLD. Given the current findings, future studies must increase the number of patients to increase conclusive results and stronger evidence of adverse events and the relationship between treatment plan, patient age, pretreatment, and adverse events.
  • Conclusion: Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the leading treatments for early and advanced breast cancer. The resulting cardiac toxicity necessitates new forms to reduce the risk of disease associated with the drug. One of the most promising strategies designed to reduce these effects is to use nanoparticles as potential drug nanocarriers to facilitate a particular drug, to increase efficacy while minimizing the adverse effects of chemotherapy. Cardiotoxicity in the use of doxorubicin, the liposomal form of doxorubicin pegylated, by reducing the pharmacokinetics of the drug, reduces side effects compared to conventional drug treatment.
  • Keywords: Metastatic breast cancer, Doxorubicin, PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin, anti-cancer