Nanoparticles-mediated drug delivery approaches for cancer targeting: a review

Abstract

Cancer has become the leading cause of death among different populations of the world. The treatment is limited to chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Selective targeting to the tumor cells is possible by nanoparticles-based drug delivery system. It maximizes the drug concentration at the desired target and protects the surrounding healthy tissues at the same time. To improve the targeting potential of the anticancer drugs, nanoparticles were optimized for the size and surface characteristics to enhance their circulation time and targeting efficiency. Passive targeting involves surface modification with polyethylene glycol to avoid its elimination by natural body defense mechanism. Active targeting involves chemical interaction with certain antigen, receptors, and genes which are over expressed during progression of disease. In addition, the article highlights recent developments in "smart"-stimulus-responsive-drug carriers designed to enhance the localization and efficacy of therapeutic payloads as compared with free drug. Enhanced targeting potential, imaging, and controlled release of drugs or therapeutic molecules could be possible through multi-functional nanocarrier. Such multi-faceted, versatile nanocarriers and drug delivery systems promise a substantial increase in the efficacy of diagnostic and therapeutic applications in pharmaceutical sciences.

Influence of synthesis experimental parameters on the formation of magnetite nanoparticles prepared by polyol method

“…One of them,introduced by Rockenberger et al [15], is the decomposition of iron precursor in a high boiling point solvent with the assistance of surfactants such as oleic acid and oleylamine, among others [16]. However, magnetic nanoparticles are suspended in nonpolar solvents due to the hydrophobic nature of surfactants that restrict biomedical applications [17]. The second option is based on the polyol method, which is a suitable variant of thermal decomposition synthesis dealing to monodisperse metal and metal oxide nanoparticles [18,19].…”

Nanomedicine in Melanoma: Current Trends and Future Perspectives

“…To accomplish patient safety, and for good patient compliance, an ideal treatment should be developed with an improved overall treatment efficiency, a very low possible toxicity, and a specific targeted site (91). Nanotechnology-based formulations can provide all of the above, and their efficacy can be further improved when ornamented with targeting moieties, for instance, specific antibodies (92) or targeted delivery payload (93)(94)(95). In the last 5 years, there has been an exponential increase in the focus on nanotechnology with regard to melanoma therapy and related diagnosis (96).…”

“…They can incorporate nucleic acids and other organic or inorganic molecules into their aqueous lumen (85-89) and can be used for targeted, controlled drug release (90)(91)(92)(93)(94)(95)(96).…”

Nanobiotechnology in reproduction – pros and cons. A review

“…Nanooncology may make use of the specificity of the tumor microenvironment, which remarkably differs from the surrounding normal tissue (Thakor and Gambhir, 2013). This attribute can be used to make oncotherapy safer and more efficient (Sultana et al, 2013). Nanostructures can attack tumor cells per se, as a therapeutic agent in photodynamic therapy.…”