Tailoring drug delivery systems by microfluidics for tumor therapy

Drug delivery systems (DDSs) for tumor treatment is a specialized method aimed at transporting therapeutic substances, especially anticancer drugs, to specific target areas in the body. The primary aim is to improve the therapeutic effect of anticancer substances while minimizing their impact on healthy tissues. Microfluidic technology can precisely control, manipulate, and analyze fluids at the microscopic level. In the field of tumor therapy, microfluidic technology has become an advanced tool for designing and manufacturing customized drug carriers to deliver drugs to cancer cells or tumor sites. Microfluidic DDSs hold significant promise for tumor therapy due to their unique features and capabilities such as precision, customization, versatility, scalability, etc. Thus, in this review, the advantages, design, and implementation of microfluidic drug delivery technology were introduced. It summarizes various DDSs from microfluidics, such as nanoparticles, microparticles, and scaffolds, and discusses their potential in a range of therapeutic modes. In addition, the challenges and prospects of microfluidic DDSs in tumor treatment were discussed. The main purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the progress, potential impacts, and future directions of customizing DDSs for tumor treatment using microfluidic technology.