Polydopamine-Based Material and Their Potential in Head and Neck Cancer Therapy—Current State of Knowledge

Abstract

Head and neck cancers (HNC) are among the most common cancers in the world. In terms of frequency of occurrence in the world, HNC ranks sixth. However, the problem of modern oncology is the low specificity of the therapies used, which is why most of the currently used chemotherapeutic agents have a systemic effect. The use of nanomaterials could overcome the limitations of traditional therapies. Researchers are increasingly using polydopamine (PDA) in nanotherapeutic systems for HNC due to its unique properties. PDA has found applications in chemotherapy, photothermal therapy, targeted therapy, and combination therapies that facilitate better carrier control for the effective reduction of cancer cells than individual therapies. The purpose of this review was to present the current knowledge on the potential use of polydopamine in head and neck cancer research.

Nano-Drug Delivery Systems in Oral Cancer Therapy: Recent Developments and Prospective

“…Targeted nano-DDS is a technology that allows drugs to be delivered precisely to the targeted organs, cells, or molecules [ 44 ], thereby safeguarding healthy cells and minimizing the side effects of loaded drugs, making it a practical approach for treating OC. Targeted drug delivery can be categorized as passive, active, immune, and magnetic targeting based on the targeting methods ( Figure 1 ).…”

“…This increases the chances of the nanocarriers aggregating in tumor tissues. The drugs are then delivered to the tumor cells through extracellular diffusion, which enhances the distribution and retention time of the drugs [ 44 ] ( Figure 1 A).…”

“…For active targeting, the surface of nanocarriers is typically modified with specific ligands, such as aptamers, peptide chains, and antibodies. By recognizing and binding to receptors on tumor cells and in the tumor microenvironment (TME), the nanocarriers deliver drugs to the intended sites, effectively enhancing the precision and efficacy of drugs and minimizing toxic side effects of drugs on normal tissues [ 44 , 54 , 55 ] ( Figure 1 B).…”