Advanced Nanosystems for Cancer Therapeutics: A Review

Abstract

Since cancer has a very complex pathophysiology, existing cancer treatment strategies encounter several challenges such as the lack of specificity/selectivity, induction of multidrug resistance, and possible side effects/toxicity. A wide variety of organic, inorganic, and hybrid nanosystems have been designed with unique magnetic, thermal, mechanical, electrical, and optical properties for targeted cancer therapy. These advanced nanosystems with enhanced bioavailability, biocompatibility, and drug loading capacity have been developed for targeted cancer therapy to reduce toxicity and improve the targeting properties. In this context, challenges persist for their clinical translational studies and enhancement of their therapeutic efficiency as well as the optimization of synthesis conditions and large-scale production. In addition, despite promising preclinical results, the number of nanosystems available to patients is still very low, partly due to a lack of understanding of the differences among animal model species and humans that influence the behavior and functionality of these nanosystems. Regarding this, organ-on-a-chip platforms can significantly help in drug screening and delivery aspects in cancer/tumor cells as well as cancer modeling research; the organs-on-chip approach can also be helpful to analyze the cancer–immune cells interactions. Future studies should focus on the exploration of multifunctional nanosystems with synergistic chemo-photothermal, photothermal/photodynamic, and cancer immunotherapeutic potentials as well as smart nanosystems with theranostic capabilities. Herein, recent advancements pertaining to the applications of advanced nanosystems for cancer therapeutics are deliberated. Current obstacles and limitations hindering the application from research to clinical uses are also discussed while providing recommendations for a more efficient adoption of nanomaterials in the treatment of cancers.

Nanotechnological advances in cancer: therapy a comprehensive review of carbon nanotube applications

“…This technique is important for understanding the morphological and structural properties of nanocarrier systems. In an in vitro cytotoxicity study ( Mohajer et al, 2023 ), the researchers found that the drug-loaded DOX nanocarrier exhibited increased cytotoxicity and apoptosis in hepatic HepG2 cells (shown in Figure 8 ). This result suggests that the nanocarrier may be a potential drug carrier for liver cancer chemotherapy.…”

Cyclodextrin-Based Nanosponges as an Environmentally Sustainable Solution for Water Treatment: A Review

“…Owing to its large size and the presence of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties, β-cyclodextrin has the ability to form inclusion complexes with a variety of molecules via host–guest interactions and hence deployed for many applications such as drug delivery, protein delivery, diagnostic tools, cancer therapy, gas delivery, water purification, prostheses, and implants, etc. This review specifically focuses on the water purification application of β-cyclodextrin-based nanosponges.…”

“…In the hydrophilic part of cyclodextrins, the primary −OH group is present at the narrow edge of a truncated cone, while the secondary −OH group is at the wider edge, because of the presence of two types of hydroxyl groups in the glucopyranose form. 93 Owing to its large size and the presence of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties, β-cyclodextrin has the ability to form inclusion complexes with a variety of molecules via host−guest interactions and hence deployed for many applications such as drug delivery, 94 protein delivery, 95 diagnostic tools, 96 cancer therapy, 97 gas delivery, 98 water purification, 50 prostheses, 99 and implants, 100 etc. This review specifically focuses on the water purification application of β-cyclodextrin-based nanosponges.…”

Exploring release mechanisms by disrupting π–π stacking regions in stable micelles

“…1–3 Polymeric micelles with good biocompatibility were considered excellent candidates for drug delivery nanoplatforms and had received extensive attention in the past few decades. 4–7 Numerous studies have been conducted to enhance the stability 8,9 and drug delivery performance 10,11 of polymeric micelles. Polymer modification based on physical and chemical strategies, 12 such as π–π stacking interactions 13,14 and pH-responsive reversible crosslinking, 15,16 had been proven to be effective in improving the stability.…”