A Review of the Current State of Nanomedicines for Targeting and Treatment of Cancers: Achievements and Future Challenges

Abstract

The design and utilization of nanomedicines offers great potential for treating various diseases including cancers. Current challenges with traditional cancer treatment strategies include but are not limited to lack of specific targeting, overt systemic toxicity and low efficacy. The use of nanomaterials show particular promise as candidates for cancer treatment due to their high surface to volume ratio and tuneable size, shape, and surface chemistry, which in combination, allow for improved tumor targeting and enhanced therapeutic efficacy. The scrutinization of the literature demonstrates the potential of nanosized carrier systems over traditional approaches (at the molecular level) for specific targeting of the tumors. Despite the great promise showing in preclinical studies, the number of nanomedicines reaching clinical testing is still very low. This review attempts to address this issue by using a weight of evidence approach to the different strategies for use of nanomedicines in combating cancer, as well as highlighting a number of areas that the field of nanomedicines is clearly lagging behind in, as compared to conventional drug discovery and development. It is hoped that the recommendations in this review will allow for better translation of nanomedicines reaching clinical trials.

Nanomedicine as a multimodal therapeutic paradigm against cancer: on the way forward in advancing precision therapy

“…His aspiration is to emerge as a distinguished researcher and innovator in the realm of oncology, striving to advance human health and well-being. Using these nanoparticles as drug-delivery carriers can show several advantages, such as (1) the active targeting of cancer cells, which could improve treatment accuracy and, thereby, efficacy; 24 (2) an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, which allows nanoparticles to accumulate passively in tumor tissues, thereby increasing the drug concentration within the targeted site; 25,26 (3) a stimuli-responsive delivery system, which reduces off-target toxicity by preventing drug release to normal tissues; 27 and (4) a delayed release of nanomedicine and an increase in its half-life (e.g., PEGylation), further enhancing the therapeutic efficacy. 28 Furthermore, nanomaterials, when used in combination with other therapies mentioned above, can potentially reduce drug resistance and non-specific toxicity, thus augmenting the therapeutic gain.…”

Tumor Microenvironment-Regulating Two-Photon Probe Based on Bimetallic Post-Coordinated MOF Facilitating the Dual-Modal and Deep Imaging-Guided Synergistic Therapies

“…Moreover, the oxidative damage to tumor would be reduced, and TME would also cause certain drug resistance . Comparing with the other strategies to improving the TME, intelligent nanomaterials make it possible to achieve the rational regulation of TME and further avoid the side effects. − Specifically, the nanomaterials modified with the certain biological enzymes, such as catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), can regulate TME and realize more precise and harmless treatments. , …”

A multifunctional α-Fe2O3@PEDOT core–shell nanoplatform for gene and photothermal combination anticancer therapy

“…19,20 Gene therapy is considered to be a safe and effective treatment using exogenous nucleic acids as therapeutic agents, and has the potential to depress oncogenes and restrain the proliferation of intractable tumors. [21][22][23][24][25] Small interfering RNA (siRNA), as an effective carrier of RNA interference, can silence the expression of HSPs by inhibiting the expression of specific genes, thereby suppressing heat shock response and making cancer cells more sensitive to PTT. [26][27][28][29] However, its therapeutic efficiency is not satisfactory due to the shortcomings due to the direct utilization of naked siRNA, for instance, rapid enzymatic degradation, low transfection efficiency, and nonspecific biodistribution.…”