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Review
. 2022 Jan 14;28(2):176-187.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i2.176.

Nanotheranostics: A powerful next-generation solution to tackle hepatocellular carcinoma

Rusdina Bte Ladju  1 , Zulvikar Syambani Ulhaq  2 , Gita Vita Soraya  3
Affiliations
Review

Nanotheranostics: A powerful next-generation solution to tackle hepatocellular carcinoma

Rusdina Bte Ladju et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an epidemic burden and remains highly prevalent worldwide. The significant mortality rates of HCC are largely due to the tendency of late diagnosis and the multifaceted, complex nature of treatment. Meanwhile, current therapeutic modalities such as liver resection and transplantation are only effective for resolving early-stage HCC. Hence, alternative approaches are required to improve detection and enhance the efficacy of current treatment options. Nanotheranostic platforms, which utilize biocompatible nanoparticles to perform both diagnostics and targeted delivery, has been considered a potential approach for cancer management in the past few decades. Advancement of nanomaterials and biomedical engineering techniques has led to rapid expansion of the nanotheranostics field, allowing for more sensitive and specific diagnosis, real-time monitoring of drug delivery, and enhanced treatment efficacies across various malignancies. The focus of this review is on the applications of nanotheranostics for HCC. The review first explores the current epidemiology and the commonly encountered obstacles in HCC diagnosis and treatment. It then presents the current technological and functional advancements in nanotheranostic technology for cancer in general, and then specifically explores the use of nanotheranostic modalities as a promising option to address the key challenges present in HCC management.

Keywords: Future therapy; Hepatic cancer; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Nanoplatform; Nanotheranostic; Personalized medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Hepatocellular carcinoma current problems and solution. HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Applications of cancer nanotheranostic.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Multimodality of the nanotheranostic platform. HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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