Chapter 22 - Functionalized nanofibers for cancer therapy

Abstract

The past decade has seen the rapid growth of electrospinning technology and nanofibers as a major product of electrospinning with considerable features such as large surface area, unique mechanical strength, and similarity to the extracellular matrix that have been employed in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and other biomedical fields. Existing researches recognize the critical role played by nanofibers via incorporating chemotherapeutics, phytochemicals, and genes for cancer treatment. By tailoring the composition and structure of nanofibers, various behaviors such as biphasic, stimulus-activated, sequential and prolonged release can be obtained. Recent evidence suggests that localized delivery, accompanied by photodynamic or thermal therapy, can provide a greater option for effective in situ treatment. Generally, the fabrication of short nanofibers, nanofibers loaded via nanoparticles, composite nanofibers, and theranostic nanofibers are some instances opening new doors to get superior performance from these favorable biomaterials. This chapter will attempt to review the progress and recent perspectives of deploying electrospun nanofibers and their functionalization for better cancer management.