Three-dimensional printed 5-fluorouracil /UHMWPE scaffolds for the treatment of breast cancer

In this study, a circular porous 5-fluorouracil/ultrahigh-molecular-weight-polyethylene (5-FU/UHMWPE) scaffold with different 5-FU concentration was fabricated using fused deposition molding (FDM) 3D printing technology. In vitro cytotoxicity experiments indicated that 5-FU/UNMWPE scaffold has a high inhibitory effect on 4T1 breast cancer cells together with less toxic damage to normal cells. In vivo Animal experiments revealed that 5-FU/UHMWPE scaffold can effectively treat mice with breast cancer cells 4T1. The tumor inhibition rate of 0.5% 5-FU/UHMWPE scaffold, 3.0% 5-FU/UHMWPE scaffold and injecting groups were 54%, 71% and 92%, respectively. Although the tumor inhibition rate of the scaffold group was smaller than the 5-fu-injection group, anatomical analysis showed that there was no obvious drug toxicity in the heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney of the scaffold groups. These implantable scaffolds ensure a long-term therapeutic drug level near the tumor site while minimizing the drug's exposure to normal tissues. These results suggested that 3D printed porous 5-FU/UHMWPE scaffolds could be a potential drug delivery system in cancer treatment.