Biogenic nanoparticles: pioneering a new era in breast cancer therapeutics—a comprehensive review

Abstract

Breast cancer, a widespread malignancy affecting women globally, often arises from mutations in estrogen/progesterone receptors. Conventional treatments like surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy face limitations such as low efficacy and adverse effects. However, nanotechnology offers promise with its unique attributes like targeted delivery and controlled drug release. Yet, challenges like poor size distribution and environmental concerns exist. Biogenic nanotechnology, using natural materials or living cells, is gaining traction for its safety and efficacy in cancer treatment. Biogenic nanoparticles synthesized from plant extracts offer a sustainable and eco-friendly approach, demonstrating significant toxicity against breast cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. They surpass traditional drugs, providing benefits like biocompatibility and targeted delivery. Thus, this current review summarizes the available knowledge on breast cancer (its types, stages, histopathology, symptoms, etiology and epidemiology) with the importance of using biogenic nanomaterials as a new and improved therapy. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive examination of the challenges and strategies for advancing the industrial utilization of biogenic metal and metal oxide NPs. Additionally; it underscores the potential of plant-mediated synthesis of biogenic NPs as effective therapies for breast cancer, detailing their mechanisms of action, advantages, and areas for further research.