Advances in the use of nanocarriers for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Débora Braga Vieira,Lionel Fernel Gamarra

doi:10.1590/s1679-45082016rb3475

Débora Braga Vieira, Lionel Fernel Gamarra

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1679-45082016rb3475

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Abstract

ABSTRACTThe use of nanocarriers as drug delivery systems for therapeutic or imaging agents can improve the pharmacological properties of commonly used compounds in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Advances in the surface engineering of nanoparticles to accommodate targeting ligands turned nanocarriers attractive candidates for future work involving targeted drug delivery. Although not targeted, several nanocarriers have been approved for clinical use and they are currently used to treat and/or diagnosis various types of cancers. Furthermore, there are several formulations, which are now in various stages of clinical trials. This review examined some approved formulations and discussed the advantages of using nanocarriers in cancer therapy.

Highlights

Chemotherapeutic drugs are toxic against cancer cells, but due to their low specificity and high toxicity, these drugs are toxic for healthy cells
This is different from what occurs in inflamed regions or even in those regions where tumors are located, in which endothelial cells are less packed among themselves than in healthy regions, which result in an accumulation of nanoparticles in the tumor tissue near blood vessel[1,2,3] (Figure 1A)
A number of nanoparticles have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)(6-14) (Figure 2), which accumulate in solid tumors because of the EPR effect.[2,3] Among approved ones, the highlighted are liposomal doxorubicin, the Doxil®, which was the one of the first medication based on nanotechnology approved by FDA.[6]. Another example is the Abraxane®, the paclitaxel, a chemotherapy drug, which is efficiently associated with nanoparticle called albumin

Summary

Introduction

Chemotherapeutic drugs are toxic against cancer cells, but due to their low specificity and high toxicity, these drugs are toxic for healthy cells. Surface of nanoparticles can be modified, allowing to direct nanocarriers to specific cancer cells with action mechanism based on expressive molecules in the surface of the tumor, which result in active directing of these particles (Figure 1A).

Results

Conclusion