Tremendous progress in nanotechnology has lead to the development of nanometer-sized objects as medical implants or devices. Many of these nanodevices have recently been tested in many cancer diagnostic and therapeutic applications, such as leukemia, melanoma, breast tumor, prostate tumor, and brain cancer. Despite the increasing importance of nanotechnology in cancer, the potential of these nanodevices in diagnosing and treating intraocular cancers has not been systematically evaluated. This review summarizes the significant advancements and potential areas for development in the field of nanotechnology-based intraocular drug delivery and imaging.
KeywordsIntraocular cancer; uveal melanoma; retinoblastoma; nanoparticles; liposomes; quantum dots; intravitreal injection; drug delivery; imaging
Intraocular Cancers -Overview and detectionThough less common, the risk of complications and metastatic potential of intraocular cancers presents a very dangerous condition, warranting the same vigilant management as other cancers. Due to their proximity to critical ocular structures, early diagnosis and treatment of intraocular cancer are essential to preserve vision. There are two common forms of intraocular tumors which can be characterized based on the typical age of occurrence: ocular melanoma in adults and retinoblastoma in children. Ocular melanoma is the most common malignancy originating in the eye in older patients with a median onset age of 55. 1,2 Retinoblastoma is a very common form of ocular malignancy occurring in children. 1Uveal melanoma is the most common type of ocular melanoma and typically presents as a small tumor near critical structures in the eye. 1,3 The potential causes and risk factors of uveal melanoma remain undetermined, 6 though incidence is slightly higher in men, with rates 150 times higher in Caucasians compared to those with darker skin. This is consistent with the statistically higher incidence seen in patients with light skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair. 1 Compared with other intraocular tumors, uveal melanoma has the highest rate of metastasis, with a 40% metastasis rate (median survival 2-7 months) and approximately The most concerning issue with this condition are problems with detection and treatment. 5 As such, the rate of metastasis and mortality has remained unchanged over the years. Typically, uveal melanoma is diagnosed by binocular indirect ophthalmicroscopy. 6 Indocyanine green angiography is also used to visualize the tumor and tumor margins. 6 The most common treatment options include enucleation, local resection, brachytherapy, of which brachytherapy would represent the most common. 6 These approaches are plagued by high failure rates and complications with large tumors or those near the optic nerve, 4 with other complications including iris neovascularization and neovascular glaucoma. 7 External beam radiotherapy has success rates similar to enucleation, providing local control and organ preservation along with unmatched cosmetic results and visual preservation. 3...