Abstract
Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of female death, with an annual mortality rate exceeding 200,000 in developing communities. Despite the past decade bearing witness to a reduction in cervical cancer cases throughout developed countries, the prevalence in developing countries continues to rapidly rise. The increase in cervical cancer cases is attributed to the lack of financial resources and the unavoidable risk factors of the disease. Traditional means of anticancer therapy are compromised by reduced drug potency, non-specificity, negative side effects and the development of multiple drug resistance (MDR), which leads to a decrease in the long-term anticancer therapeutic efficacy. Recent advances in nanomedicine have elucidated the potential of nanoparticles to reduce the side effects and improve the survival rate of patients, by enhancing selective delivery and uptake of photosensitive, therapeutic and genetic material to cervical cancer cells, thereby enhancing antitumour efficiency. This review paper analyses the risk factors and epidemiology of cervical cancer globally, especially in developing communities, whilst demonstrating the enhanced anticancer treatment using selected nanoparticles.
Highlights
Cancer produces one of the highest mortalities worldwide, with cervical cancer being the second most common malignancy amongst women
High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections have been established as the primary risk factor for the development of cervical cancer with HPV 16 and 18 being declared to be the cause of 71% of cervical cancer cases within the African continent [5]
The favourable and unique properties of nanoparticles can improve the delivery of therapeutics, thereby enhancing their activity in cervical cancer cells whilst reducing harmful side effects in healthy cells [14, 15]
Summary
Cancer produces one of the highest mortalities worldwide, with cervical cancer being the second most common malignancy amongst women. Various treatment strategies have been developed for cervical cancer, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy and, in extreme cases, surgery [1] These therapies are limited by a lack of anticancer drug potency, non-specificity, negative side effects and the development of MDR, which leads to a decrease in the long-term efficacy of anticancer therapy [11]. The favourable and unique properties of nanoparticles can improve the delivery of therapeutics, thereby enhancing their activity in cervical cancer cells whilst reducing harmful side effects in healthy cells [14, 15] This meta-analysis aims to review the potential of nanomedicine in the improvement of cervical cancer therapeutics, especially in developing countries
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