Towards Topical Transdermal Chemoprevention with Hyaluronic Acid–Functionalized Nanocarriers

Luciana Lopes – Professor, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo; Julia Passos – Post-Doc, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women ¹, with incidence and mortality projected to rise by 46.5% until 2045 ². Its marked heterogeneity ^3,4 highlight the need for innovative preventive strategies. In this context, nanostructure lipid carriers (NLC) functionalized with hyaluronic acid emerge as a promising platform for topical-transdermal chemoprevention. By enabling targeted delivery to the breast skin of the synthetic retinoid fenretinide, this approach aims to achieve high local drug concentrations in mammary tissue through a non-invasive, safe, and patient-friendly strategy.