Cancer Nanotherapeutics

Diverse nanomodules, engineered nanomaterials, and methods have paved the way for state-of-the-art cancer chemotherapies and immunotherapies selectively targeting the cancerous cells. The conventional treatment methods often lead to paucity in drug delivery at the desired location and off-target side-effects due to improper targeting. Nano-intervention in cancer treatment assists to eliminate several issues of conventional therapeutics such as drug insolubility, early drug release and removal from the system, drug-efflux and resistance issues, etc. through precise site-specific drug delivery and controlled release system. The strategies that are predominantly used for nanoparticles-assisted targeted drug delivery are passive, active, and stimuli-responsive drug release. Besides the strategies, the modules in which the drugs are loaded play a major role in targeted delivery. It is widely depending on the properties of the modules such as size, shape, pH, and thermal and acoustic properties. For instance, the smaller the size, the more effective penetration will occur. Nano-modules help in temperature, pH, enzyme-sensitive drug release; it also reduces the amount of free drugs within the system which in turn decreases the side effects of drugs. There are several organic as well as inorganic nanoparticles that are used for coating and targeted delivery of drugs; in addition, other nanoparticles such as virus-like particles, a viral based nano-formulation that are processed in non-infectious way has also been used for the purpose. The prominent mode of nano-interventions in cancer therapy and nano-modalities used for the treatment of diverse types of cancer has been delineated hereunder along with the riveting outline of therapeutic nano-vaccines.