Unique roles of nanotechnology in medicine and cancer

Abstract

Here we review the scope of nanotechnology in Medicine and human cancer. The imaging and therapy agents can be co-delivered by same nanoparticle for integrated molecular diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up of cancer or 'cancer theranostics' is implying multimodal use of nanoparticles in cancer care. Nanoparticles are used for passive targeting and in conjugation with ligands for active targeting, to have optimum concentrations of imaging and therapeutic agents in the tumor cells specifically, sparing normal tissue from unwanted side effects. Potential utility of nanoparticles in the nano biosensors, nano fluorescent tag imaging, nano tumor mapping, nano gene profiling, nano molecular delivery, nano chemo-radio therapy, nano thermotherapy, nano photodynamic therapy, etc., is tending to revolutionize medicine particularly personalized cancer care and laboratory. Nanoparticle induced oxidative stress based inflammation reported by few studies; in lung, liver and brain required further investigations.