Recent progress in nanotechnology for cancer therapy

Chin J Cancer. 2010 Sep;29(9):775-80. doi: 10.5732/cjc.010.10075.

Abstract

The application of nanotechnology significantly benefits clinical practice in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and management. Especially, nanotechnology offers a promise for the targeted delivery of drugs, genes, and proteins to tumor tissues and therefore alleviating the toxicity of anticancer agents in healthy tissues. This article reviews current nanotechnology platforms for anticancer drug delivery, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, nanoshells, carbon nanotubes, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, and nucleic acid-based nanoparticles [DNA, RNA interference (RNAi), and antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)] as well as nanotechnologies for combination therapeutic strategies, for example, nanotechnologies combined with multidrug-resistance modulator, ultrasound, hyperthermia, or photodynamic therapy. This review raises awareness of the advantages and challenges for the application of these therapeutic nanotechnologies, in light of some recent advances in nanotechnologic drug delivery and cancer therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Dendrimers / therapeutic use
  • Drug Carriers
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Liposomes / therapeutic use
  • Magnetite Nanoparticles / therapeutic use
  • Nanoparticles / therapeutic use*
  • Nanoshells / therapeutic use
  • Nanotechnology / trends*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Polymers / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Dendrimers
  • Drug Carriers
  • Liposomes
  • Magnetite Nanoparticles
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Polymers