Advances of cancer therapy by nanotechnology

Abstract

Recent developments in nanotechnology offer researchers opportunities to significantly transform cancer therapeutics. This technology has enabled the manipulation of the biological and physicochemical properties of nanomaterials to facilitate more efficient drug targeting and delivery. Clinical investigations suggest that therapeutic nanoparticles can enhance efficacy and reduced side effects compared with conventional cancer therapeutic drugs. Encouraged by rapid and promising progress in cancer nanotechnology, researchers continue to develop novel and efficacious nanoparticles for drug delivery. The use of therapeutic nanoparticles as unique drug delivery systems will be a significant addition to current cancer therapeutics.

Keywords: Cancer therapy; Drug delivery; Nanoparticels.

Fig. 1

Illustration of (A) polymer based nanoparticles; (B). Liposome based nanoparticles; and (C). Iron oxide or gold nanoparticles.

Fig. 2

Schematic diagram of nanoparticle accumulation in tumor tissue through EPR effect. Normal tissue vasculatures are lined by tight endothelial cells, thereby preventing nanoparticle drugs from escaping, whereas tumor tissue vasculatures are leaky and hyperpermeable allowing preferential accumulation of nanoparticles in the tumor interstitial space (passive targeting).

Fig. 3

Internalization of nanoparticles via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Tumor-specific ligands/antibodies on the nanoparticles bind to cell through an endosome-dependent mechanism. Drug-loaded nanoparticles bypass the drug efflux pump not being recognized when the drug enters cells, leading to high intracellular concentration.