Abstract
Ovarian cancer remains as one of the most lethal gynecological cancers to date, with major challenges associated with screening, diagnosis and treatment of the disease and an urgent need for new technologies that can meet these challenges. Nanomaterials provide new opportunities in diagnosis and therapeutic management of many different types of cancers. In this review, we highlight recent promising developments of nanoparticles designed specifically for the detection or imaging of ovarian cancer that have reached the preclinical stage of development. This includes contrast agents, molecular imaging agents and intraoperative aids that have been designed for integration into standard imaging procedures. While numerous nanoparticle systems have been developed for ovarian cancer detection and imaging, specific design criteria governing nanomaterial targeting, biodistribution and clearance from the peritoneal cavity remain key challenges that need to be overcome before these promising tools can accomplish significant breakthroughs into the clinical setting.
Highlights
In 2020 alone, there were over 300,000 cases of ovarian cancer and more than 200,000 deaths globally, accounting for approximately 3% of cancer occurrences in women [1,2,3]
We report the recent progress in the application of nanomaterials for ovarian cancer detection, imaging and monitoring, with an aim for identifying the most promising technologies that can be utilized to improve such applications
There are a wide variety of nanoparticles across the various related detection modalities being developed for applications relating to ovarian cancer diagnostics and imaging
Summary
In 2020 alone, there were over 300,000 cases of ovarian cancer and more than 200,000 deaths globally, accounting for approximately 3% of cancer occurrences in women [1,2,3]. The limited effectiveness of screening programs and early detection of ovarian cancer necessitates the need for new tools and technologies for the disease. Biomedicines 2021, 9, 1554 imaging and detection are a promising avenue for the development of effective, clinically relevant tools that may improve patient outcomes in ovarian cancer. The inability for screening programs to result in effective reductions in mortality despite providing earlier detection indicates issues in translating early stage diagnosis into effective, mortality-reducing treatment options. This highlights the need for technologies that can improve patient outcomes, whether they are tools for the screening and earlier detection of tumors or for the diagnosis, characterisation or treatment of the disease. We conclude with some discussion points and future perspectives of nanomedicines in ovarian cancer
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
