A REVIEW OF NANOPARTICLE INNOVATIONS IN CANCER THERAPY: IMPLICATIONS, TARGETING MECHANISMS AND CLINICAL PROSPECTS

Abstract

The main reason for morbidity and death globally is cancer, which has a complex pathophysiology. There are several traditional treatments for cancer, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies. Multiple drug resistance, cytotoxicity, and lack of specificity pose significant challenges to cancer treatments. Molecular diagnostics and cancer treatment have been transformed by nanotechnology. For cancer treatment, nanoparticles (1–100 nm) are ideal because they are biocompatible, have low toxicity, excellent stability, high permeability, are precise and stable, and can deliver clear and accurate results. There are several main categories of nanoparticles. When it comes to the delivery of nanoparticle drugs, tumour characteristics and the tumour environment are considered. As well as providing advantages over conventional cancer treatments, nanoparticles prevent multidrug resistance, further overcoming their limitations. As new mechanisms are unravelled in studying multidrug resistance, nanoparticles are becoming more critical. Nano formulations have gained a new perspective on cancer treatment due to their many therapeutic applications. The number of approved nanodrugs has not increased significantly despite most research being conducted in vivo and in vitro. A review of nanoparticle oncological implications, targeting mechanisms, and approved nanotherapeutics is presented here. A current perspective on clinical translation is also provided, highlighting its advantages and challenges.