Magnesium metal and its corrosion products: Promising materials for tumor interventional therapy

Abstract

Magnesium is generally known to degrade in aqueous environments by an electrochemical reaction. The corrosion products of magnesium include hydrogen gas, Mg2+, and Mg(OH)2. Here, we summarize the published literature describing the corrosion characteristics of magnesium, and the antitumor properties of magnesium-associated corrosion products, aiming to induce the therapeutic properties of magnesium and magnesium alloys in solid tumors. The therapeutic potential of corrosion products of magnesium is enormous. Hydrogen gas exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which amount to potential anti-tumor characteristics. Mg(OH)2, which creates a localized alkaline microenvironment, represents a second approach for anti-tumor therapy with magnesium metal. Upregulated concentrations of Mg2+ ions in the local tumor microenvironment remodelling are considered a third approach for anti-tumor therapy. Therefore, we speculate about the different physical forms of magnesium that could create an anti-tumor microenvironment upon tumor interventional therapy, a technique that precisely places anti-tumor implants like particles and stents. Finally, we present our viewpoints on the potential use of magnesium in diverse solid tumor therapies to inhibit tumor progression.

Keywords

• Magnesium
• Hydrogen gas
• Mg(OH)2
• Mg2+
• Cancer
• Interventional therapy