Abstract
Cancer is one of the primary causes of worldwide human deaths. Most cancer patients receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but these treatments are usually only partially efficacious and lead to a variety of serious side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new therapeutic strategies. The emergence of nanotechnology has had a profound impact on general clinical treatment. The application of nanotechnology has facilitated the development of nano-drug delivery systems (NDDSs) that are highly tumor selective and allow for the slow release of active anticancer drugs. In recent years, vehicles such as liposomes, dendrimers and polymer nanomaterials have been considered promising carriers for tumor-specific drug delivery, reducing toxicity and improving biocompatibility. Among them, polymer nanoparticles (NPs) are one of the most innovative methods of non-invasive drug delivery. Here, we review the application of polymer NPs in drug delivery, gene therapy, and early diagnostics for cancer therapy.
Highlights
IntroductionCancer is still the second leading cause of death globally, and its death toll exceeds the combined deaths from human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, tuberculosis, and malaria [1–4]
Liposomes can effectively protect the drug from degradation, target the site of action, and reduce the toxicity or side effects, but their application is limited by inherent problems such as low encapsulation efficiency, rapid seepage of water-soluble drug during in vivo circulation, and poor stability [116]
Despite many efforts in the development of new targeted nanocarriers, only a few nanocarriers have been approved for clinical use [228]
Summary
Cancer is still the second leading cause of death globally, and its death toll exceeds the combined deaths from human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, tuberculosis, and malaria [1–4]. Traditional therapies are only effective for some early malignant tumors [27–29], and the main reasons for eventual failure of tumor treatment are metastasis [30], recurrence [31], heterogeneity [32], chemotherapy resistance [33], and avoidance of immune surveillance [34]. In many cases, these drugs show a good response during initial treatment, but later on in the treatment, the efficacy of the drugs decreases and can lead to cancer recurrence. Drug resistance is defined as a decline in the efficacy and potency of a drug in order to limit treatment, leading to failure in the treatment of the disease [61]. Tumors such as kidney cancer [62], hepatocellular carcinoma [63], and malignant melanoma [64]. NPs and focus on their applications in traditional chemotherapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy, and combination therapy
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