Chapter 6 - Polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles for cancer therapy

Abstract

Cancer is a deadly disease. The use of magnetic nanoparticles in medicine, especially in the field of cancer diagnosis and treatment, has attracted the attention of many researchers in the past twodecades. The aim of this chapter is to introduce magnetic nanoparticles and to present the principles of effective methods in the targeted transfer of these nanoparticles to cancer cells. The targeted transfer of magnetic nanoparticles to cancer cells is done by two types of active and inactive methods. In the active method, the transfer of nanoparticles to the tumor occurs, by using specific molecular ligands on tumor cells or by irradiating an external magnetic field to the tumor area, and in the inactive method, it occurs through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. In addition, magnetic nanoparticles have other applications in biomedicine, including the treatment of cancer with hyperthermia and as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which were discussed in this chapter. Hyperthermia can be considered a safe method to effective treatment of cancers in contrast to conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Detectability of MNPs is allowed by MRI, which can present morphological and anatomical evidence with higher spatial resolutions and nearly no limitation on penetration depth. Detectability can be extended meaningfully by MNPs as molecular imaging contrast agents. The use of magnetic nanoparticles in medicine has led to the development of targeted and effective therapies in the treatment of cancer; thus, the side effects and biological damage caused by chemotherapy in patients can be decreased.