Assessing the Interaction of Particulate Delivery Systems with Lung Surfactant

The successful treatment of lung cancer, as with all cancers, is determined by the selectivity of the therapy. That is, the cells that have undergone carcinogenic changes must be eradicated, while normal cells must be preserved. With therapeutic agents that are not discriminating, significant side effects and toxicity may result. In fact, death is not rare. Because progress towards the successful treatment of lung cancer has been minimal, it is noteworthy that the lung does offer an inherent advantage (1 , 2 ). This advantage arises from its accessibility without invasive procedures. Moreover, this accessibility can increase selectivity, because therapy can be not only directed exclusively to the lung but also limited to the lung as well.