INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF
CancerGenetics
Engineering Bacterial cellulose for Cancer Drug Delivery: From Controlled Release to Therapeutic Applications
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Parastou Mirzaei,1 Abolfazl Barzegari,2 Parisa Gozali,3 Peyman Keyhanvar,4,*
1. Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
2. Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
3. Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
4. Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Introduction: Cancer chemotherapy is often limited by systemic toxicity, poor drug distribution, and inadequate drug accumulation at tumor sites (Yadav et al., 2021). Bacterial cellulose (BC) has emerged as a promising biomaterial for cancer drug delivery due to its biocompatibility, porous nanofibrous structure, high water-holding capacity, and ability to support controlled drug release (de Amorim et al., 2022). Recent studies have highlighted the potential of BC and its modified derivatives for localized and controlled delivery of anticancer therapeutics.
- Methods: A focused literature search was conducted to identify original research studies published between 2020 and 2026 investigating bacterial nanocellulose or bacterial cellulose-based systems for anticancer drug delivery. The search terms included “bacterial nanocellulose,” “bacterial cellulose,” “cancer,” “anticancer,” and “drug delivery.” Studies evaluating drug loading, release behavior, cytotoxicity, and/or therapeutic efficacy in cellular or animal cancer models were prioritized.
- Results: Recent studies have highlighted the potential of BC as a carrier for conventional chemotherapeutics and biologically active anticancer agents. A paclitaxel-loaded nanofibrillated bacterial cellulose (NFBC) system improved survival and reduced systemic toxicity in a gastric cancer model, while a doxorubicin-loaded NFBC formulation showed enhanced antitumor activity with fewer systemic side effects (Akagi et al., 2021, Ando et al., 2021). In colorectal cancer, a bacterial nanocellulose (BNC)-based 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) delivery system enabled controlled release and enhanced anticancer activity (Martínez et al., 2022). BC films have also been used for controlled delivery of L-asparaginase, demonstrating cytotoxicity against melanoma cells (Shishparenok et al., 2024). More recently, a bacterial cellulose nanowhisker-based system co-loaded with doxorubicin and resveratrol showed pH-responsive release and enhanced anticancer activity, while resveratrol reduced oxidative stress in normal cells (Liu et al., 2024). Finally, an in vivo BNC-based 5-FU system improved therapeutic outcomes and modulated cancer-related signaling pathways in a colorectal cancer model, supporting its potential for colon-targeted therapy (Correa et al., 2026). Collectively, these findings suggest that the nanofibrous and porous architecture of BC facilitates drug loading and retention, while enabling gradual and controlled drug release through diffusion. These structural properties make BC a promising platform for controlled and localized cancer drug delivery.
- Conclusion: Bacterial cellulose is a promising biomaterial for cancer drug delivery, enabling controlled delivery of chemotherapeutics, therapeutic enzymes, and combination therapies while potentially reducing systemic toxicity. However, current evidence is primarily limited to preclinical studies, and clinical evidence remains lacking. Further animal and clinical studies are needed to confirm the long-term safety and translational potential of BC-based cancer therapies.
- Keywords: Bacterial nanocellulose; Bacterial cellulose; Cancer therapy; Drug delivery; Controlled release
