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Review
. 2024 Oct 19;25(20):11235.
doi: 10.3390/ijms252011235.

Emerging Nanomedicine Approaches in Targeted Lung Cancer Treatment

Isaic Alexandru  1 , Lavinia Davidescu  2 , Alexandru Cătălin Motofelea  3 , Tudor Ciocarlie  4 , Nadica Motofelea  5 , Dan Costachescu  6 , Monica Steluta Marc  7 , Noemi Suppini  7 , Alina Simona Șovrea  8 , Răzvan-Lucian Coșeriu  9 , Daniela-Andreea Bondor  10 , Laura-Gabriela Bobeică  10 , Andreea Crintea  10
Affiliations
Review

Emerging Nanomedicine Approaches in Targeted Lung Cancer Treatment

Isaic Alexandru et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, is characterized by its aggressive nature and poor prognosis. As traditional chemotherapy has the disadvantage of non-specificity, nanomedicine offers innovative approaches for targeted therapy, particularly through the development of nanoparticles that can deliver therapeutic agents directly to cancer cells, minimizing systemic toxicity and enhancing treatment efficacy. VEGF and VEGFR are shown to be responsible for activating different signaling cascades, which will ultimately enhance tumor development, angiogenesis, and metastasis. By inhibiting VEGF and VEGFR signaling pathways, these nanotherapeutics can effectively disrupt tumor angiogenesis and proliferation. This review highlights recent advancements in nanoparticle design, including lipid-based, polymeric, and inorganic nanoparticles, and their clinical implications in improving lung cancer outcomes, exploring the role of nanomedicine in lung cancer diagnoses and treatment.

Keywords: VEGF; VEGFR; lung cancer; nanomedicine; nanoparticles.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic representation of nanocarrier systems used in lung cancer treatment. (A) Dendrimers. (B) Quantum dots. (C) Polymeric nanoparticles. (D) Liposomes. (E) Micelles. Images created with BioRender.com (accessed on 15 October 2024).
Figure 5
Figure 5
(A) Liposome in TEM. Image adapted from Kotouček et al. [139]. (B) Micelles in TEM. Image adapted from Nair et al. [140]. (C) Dendrimers (scale bar 4 nm). Image adapted from Walworth et al. [141]. (D) PEG–poly(lactic acid) nanoparticles. Image adapted from Ghasemi et al. [142]. (E) Quantum dots. (scale bar: 10 nm) Image adapted from Tachi et al. [143].
Figure 1
Figure 1
Autocrine and paracrine VEGF signaling in cancer cell proliferation and survival.
Figure 2
Figure 2
VEGFR-mediated signaling pathways promoting angiogenesis, cell survival, and migration in cancer.
Figure 3
Figure 3
VEGF and VEGFR signaling pathways involved in lung cancer development. Image created with BioRender.com (accessed on 31 July 2024).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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