Bone cancer is common in a lot of cancer patients (60-80%) because cancer cells that grow in other parts of the body (e.g. breast and prostate) can spread there. The environment in the bone can help the cancer cells to grow and develop. As the cancer grows it can destroy the bone and cause serious pain and discomfort for the patient. Bone cancer is a critical problem because there are few successful options.
The overall goal in the research is to develop a medical treatment that can attack the unhealthy cancer cells with greater chances of success. To achieve this, a material that holds drugs to kill the cancer will be placed into the bone. Then we will pulse electricity using a technique called electroporation, which is safe for the patient but will help the drug get into the cancer cells and kill them only. In the research the group wants to use the correct substance to a carry and release drug, but that also helps the bone to heal after cancer treatment.
In my project, I specifically want to use 3D printing to make a structure called a scaffold that releases the drug. I want to investigate how the use of electroporation together with the scaffold can increase the release of the drug. I want to see if the drug release still has the same effectiveness in killing cultured cancer cells compared to electroporation which is already used in patients, thereby improving cancer treatment and the lives of patients.
