Nanomedicine in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: From Conventional Treatments to Immunotherapy

Abstract

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the most common cause of cancer-related mortality. The heterogeneous nature of this disease hinders its diagnosis and treatment, requiring continuous advances in research aiming to understand its intricate nature. Consequently, the retrospective analysis of conventional therapies has allowed the introduction of novel tools provided by nanotechnology, leading to considerable improvements in clinical outcomes. Furthermore, the development of novel immunotherapies based on the recently understood interaction of the immune system with the tumor highlights the real possibility of definitively treating NSCLC from its early stages. Novel engineering approaches in nanomedicine will enable to overcome the intrinsic limits of conventional and emerging therapies regarding off-site cytotoxicity, specificity, resistance mechanisms, and administration issues. The convergence point of these therapies with nanotechnology lays the foundation for achieving currently unmet needs.

Biocompatible DNA/5-Fluorouracil-Gemini Surfactant-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles as Promising Vectors in Lung Cancer Therapy

“…Furthermore, the possibility of the controlled manipulation of material at the nanometer-length scale, facile functionalization with different drugs, improved solubility, permeability, and targetability increase the impact of nanotechnology on cancer research [ 8 ]. In fact, nanoparticles have been shown to be useful as carriers to treat a variety of cancers in chemotherapy, such as pancreatic cancer and breast cancer [ 9 , 10 , 11 ], non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) [ 12 , 13 ], gastrointestinal cancer [ 14 ], hepatic cancer [ 15 ], colorectal cancer [ 16 , 17 ], ovarian carcinoma [ 10 , 18 , 19 ], and glioblastoma multiforme [ 20 ].…”

Quantitative Proteomic Approach Reveals Altered Metabolic Pathways in Response to the Inhibition of Lysine Deacetylases in A549 Cells under Normoxia and Hypoxia

“…Gemcitabine has been used to treat NSCLC, either in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin or as a single drug adjuvant treatment. By contrast, 5-fluorouracil and methotrexate have shown limited therapeutic benefit in NSCLC [ 99 ].…”

A Review on Cancer Immunotherapy and Applications of Nanotechnology to Chemoimmunotherapy of Different Cancers

“…The main reason for using nanoparticles in the treatment of lung cancer is to provide a reliable and effective treatment regimen by eliminating off-target cytotoxicity, as in other cancer types [ 97 ]. Zhang et al evaluated the effectiveness of glycocalyx-mimicking nanoparticles self-assembled into amphiphilic copolymers to target tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in Lewis lung cancer induced mice.…”