Combating Cancer Using Nanomaterials: Development and Challenges

Nanoparticles (NPs) have received much attention in biological applications because of their unique physicochemical properties. The mechanisms related to the interaction of NPs with animal and plant cells can be used to establish its significant role and to improve their activity in health and medical applications. NPs possess unique physical and chemical properties due to their high surface area and nanoscale size. Their optical properties are reported to be dependent on the size, which imparts different colors due to absorption in the visible region. These unique size, shape, and reactivity of the nanomaterials has tremendously improved the likelihood of its use in medical theranostics, especially for life-threatening disease like cancer. Nanomaterials in biotechnology are used in numerous ways including NP mediated-drug delivery, gene delivery, magnetic separation of biomolecules, biolabeling with fluorescent quantum dots, drug encapsulation, targeted and controlled drug delivery systems, bioimaging, etc. In this context, this book chapter considers the role of various types of nanomaterials in the diagnosis/treatment for different types of cancer.