Nanomedicine - the Future of Cancer Treatment: A Review

Abstract

Conventional cancer therapies are limited to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Conventional treatments come with significant adverse effects. Modern cancer treatments focus on precise drug delivery to the cancer tissues and minimize adverse effects on healthy cells. Researchers have been working on an improved technique for delivering chemotherapeutic agents precisely at the molecular level in the tumor tissue. It has led to the use of nanotechnology in cancer treatment. Nanotechnology is the science and engineering of controlling matter, at the molecular scale, to create devices with novel chemical, physical and biological properties. Nanoscale objects are used themselves or as part of larger devices containing multiple nanoscale objects. Almost every field of Biosciences uses nanotechnology and all of which have an impact on biomedicine. It has the potential to change the current methods to diagnose and treat cancer. There has been real progress in translating nano-based cancer therapies and diagnostics into the clinic, and much more are in development. Nanoparticles are mainly used as nanocarriers to deliver the cytotoxic drugs to the tumor tissue. Use of nanoparticles is based on different concepts of pharmacology. Nanomedicine also is utilized to deliver multiple drugs at the cancer site at the same time for a better cytotoxic effect. CytImmune Sciences is a developing field of nanomedicine for targeted chemotherapy method. They selectively deliver the drug at the cancer site because of the increased permeability of the blood vessels at the tumor site. This article reviews various nanomedicine-based cancer therapeutics.

Commercial utilities and future perspective of nanomedicines

“…Because of their small size and surface properties, nanoparticles can pass through blood vessel walls and into tissues. Since tumours have leaky blood vessels and poor lymphatic drainage, nanoparticles may accumulate in them ( Sebastian, 2017 ). EPR is the name given to this passive targeting impact.…”

Nanomedicines and Its Applications in the Healthcare

“…CytImmune is one of the largest companies conducting research on nanomedicines for cancer treatment. CytImmune, a successful diagnostics company, established in 1988, changed into a clinical stage nanomedicine entrepreneur with a prime focus on the invention, development and commercialization of nanomedicines [8].…”

Ursolic Acid and Its Nanoparticles Are Potentiators of Oncolytic Measles Virotherapy against Breast Cancer Cells

“…Despite advances in the currently available therapies, metastatic breast cancer remains incurable with high mortality rate [ 3 ], making breast cancer the second leading cause of all cancer deaths and top among cancer deaths in women [ 4 ]. Efficacies of conventional therapies are limited by issues of poor tumor specificity, off-target toxicities, low drug bioavailability, rapid drug clearance, and incomplete tumor eradication, which can potentially be overcome by utilizing nanomedicine-based therapeutic approaches [ 5 , 6 ]. Nanomedicine is instated as a key driver of modern clinical advancements, largely defined as the application of nanoscale agents (<1000 nm) for diagnosis or treatment of diseases [ 5 , 6 ].…”

“…Efficacies of conventional therapies are limited by issues of poor tumor specificity, off-target toxicities, low drug bioavailability, rapid drug clearance, and incomplete tumor eradication, which can potentially be overcome by utilizing nanomedicine-based therapeutic approaches [ 5 , 6 ]. Nanomedicine is instated as a key driver of modern clinical advancements, largely defined as the application of nanoscale agents (<1000 nm) for diagnosis or treatment of diseases [ 5 , 6 ]. Their small size and capacity for surface and/or intraparticulate modifications allow them to exhibit superior targeting, safety, solubility, bioavailability, and potency [ 5 ], which are crucial for efficacious anticancer therapies.…”