Chapter 8 - Nanotechnological approaches toward cancer chemotherapy

Abstract

A major focus of nanotechnology for cancer chemotherapy is to make use of drug-loaded nanoparticles (NPs), nanospheres, and nanocapsules to deliver the drug to a particular organ/tissue, avoiding off-site toxicity. Drug-loaded magnetic/fluorescent NPs are generally used to track their targeted delivery and distribution. Researchers attempt to target cancers by either passive targeting, that is, by using NPs that are specific for organs merely by their physiochemical properties or by active targeting, that is, by tethering NPs with monoclonal antibodies/ligands for single receptor or multiple receptors that are overexpressed in cancers. These modifications on NPs cause changes in their physiological parameters, such as blood-residence time, overcoming drug resistance, cellular uptake, and in physiochemical properties, such as drug payload, drug-releasing mechanisms, and so forth. Interestingly, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of various standard drugs are known to be generally improved in the case when biodegradable NPs are used, vis-a-vis the nonbiodegradable NPs. Pharmacotoxicology studies also give an insight on the safety of these NPs. In this chapter, we attempt to present an in-depth insight into the delivery and economic aspects of biodegradable and nonbiodegradable NPs, and discuss the gaps that exist between lab-scale and commercial potential of therapy using them.