Multifunctional nanomedicines for targeting epidermal growth factor receptor in colorectal cancer.

Abstract

Systemic administration of chemotherapeutics by nanocarriers (NCs) functionalized with targeting agents provides a localized accumulation of drugs in the target tissues and cells. Advanced nanoscaled medicaments can enter into the tumor microenvironment (TME) and overcome the uniquely dysregulated biological settings of TME, including highly pressurized tumor interstitial fluid in an acidic milieu. Such multimodal nanomedicines seem to be one of the most effective treatment modalities against solid tumors such as colorectal cancer (CRC). To progress and invade, cancer cells overexpress various oncogenes and molecular markers such as epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs), which can be exploitedfortargeted delivery of nanoscaleddrug delivery systems (DDSs). In fact, to develop effective personalized multimodalnanomedicines, the type ofsolidtumor and status of the disease in each patient should be taken into consideration. While the development of such multimodal-targeted nanomedicines is largely dependent on the expression level of oncomarkers, the type of NCs and homing/imaging agents play key roles in terms of their efficient applications. In this review, we provide deep insights into the development of EGFR-targetingnanomedicines and discuss various types of nanoscale DDSs (e.g., organic and inorganic nanoparticles) fortargeting of the EGFR-positive solid tumors such as CRC.