Drug delivery approaches for breast cancer

Int J Nanomedicine. 2017 Aug 24:12:6205-6218. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S140325. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women worldwide. The controlled release of drugs to the precise site of the disease using a nanocarrier vehicle increases the therapeutic efficiency of the drugs. Nanotechnology-based approaches used to endorse clinical improvement from a disease also help to understand the interaction of malignant cells with their microenvironment. Receptor-based targeting is another approach for drug delivery which is undergoing clinical trials. Nanoparticles (NPs) delivery has been proven to promise high loading capacity, less toxicity, and stability of the drugs or biomolecules compared to traditional chemotherapeutic drugs. The goal of this review is to present the current problems of breast cancer therapy and discuss the NP-based targeting to overcome the hurdles of conventional drug therapy approach.

Keywords: breast cancer; drug delivery systems; nanoparticles.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods
  • Nanoparticles / administration & dosage*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Nanotechnology / methods

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents