Advanced diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in nanotechnology for lung cancer

Abstract

As a highly invasive thoracic malignancy with increasing prevalence, lung cancer is also the most lethal cancer worldwide due to the failure of effective early detection and the limitations of conventional therapeutic strategies for advanced-stage patients. Over the past few decades, nanotechnology has emerged as an important technique to obtain desired features by modifying and manipulating different objects on a molecular level and gained a lot of attention in many fields of medical applications. Studies have shown that in lung cancer, nanotechnology may be more effective and specific than traditional methods for detecting extracellular cancer biomarkers and cancer cells in vitro, as well as imaging cancer in vivo; Nanoscale drug delivery systems have developed rapidly to overcome various forms of multi-drug resistance and reduce detrimental side effects to normal tissues by targeting cancerous tissue precisely. There is no doubt that nanotechnology has the potential to enhance healthcare systems by simplifying and improving cancer diagnostics and treatment. Throughout this review, we summarize and highlight recent developments in nanotechnology applications for lung cancer in diagnosis and therapy. Moreover, the prospects and challenges in the translation of nanotechnology-based diagnostic and therapeutic methods into clinical applications are also discussed.

Epidemiological trend of lung cancer burden caused by residential radon exposure in China from 1990 to 2019

“…Additionally, we noted that the ASMR and ASDR of both males and females continued to rise between 1990 and 2005, reaching their peak in 2011, and then fluctuated within a certain range. This may be due to the significant improvement in the survival rate after surgical resection with the development of CT screening technology for LC during that period, as well as the importance of early diagnosis of LC gradually attracting attention (Zhao and Wu, 2015; Dajac et al , 2016; Duan et al , 2022).…”

Niosomes: Composition, Formulation Techniques, and Recent Progress as Delivery Systems in Cancer Therapy

“…Lung cancer is currently the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. Lung cancer is classified into two broad categories, non-small-cell lung cancer and small-cell lung cancer, and different treatment strategies are available for stages and subtypes of each type, including local treatment methods (e.g., surgical therapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy) as well as combined methods with targeted therapy or immunotherapy [ 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ]. The use of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immune therapy remains inevitable due to systemic toxicity, drug resistance, and immunosuppression.…”

“…Due to their biocompatibility and high specific surface area, nanomaterials can be used to encapsulate antineoplastic molecules and transport them directly to lung cancer cells, preventing the destruction of normal tissues, minimizing side effects. They can also avoid drug resistance [ 66 , 69 ].…”

The Usefulness of Nanotechnology in Improving the Prognosis of Lung Cancer

“…This represents an emerging concept dubbed theranostics. Such an approach is the use of quantum dots as a fluorescent agent able to guide and amplify the biological effect of bronchoscopy-delivered photodynamic therapy, an intervention particularly suited to carcinoma in situ management [ 158 , 169 ]. Similarly, near-infrared emitting QDs were experimentally successfully used to improve the intra-operatory visualization of pulmonary nodules and establish resection limits.…”

“…Similarly, near-infrared emitting QDs were experimentally successfully used to improve the intra-operatory visualization of pulmonary nodules and establish resection limits. The resulting in vivo fluorescence proved to be relatively independent of dimensions and vascularization and allowed improved detection beyond CT data [ 169 , 170 ].…”