Review
Nanomaterials in combating cancer: Therapeutic applications and developments

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nano.2013.07.001Get rights and content

Abstract

The development of novel nanomaterials and their use in biomedicine has received much attention in recent years. Significant advances have been made in the synthesis of nanomaterials with controlled geometry, physicochemical properties, surface charge, and surface tailoring with bioactive polymers. These successful efforts have resulted in improved biocompatibility and active targeting of tumour tissues, leading to the development of a diverse range of nanomaterials that can recognize cancers, deliver anticancer drugs and destroy tumours by a variety of therapeutic techniques. The focus of this review is to provide an overview of the nanomaterials that have been devised for the detection and treatment of various types of cancer, as well as to underline the emerging possibilities of nanomaterials for applications in anticancer therapy.

From the Clinical Editor

In this comprehensive review, the current state-of-the art of nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis and treatment is presented. Emerging possibilities and future concepts are discussed as well.

Section snippets

How cancer differs from normal tissue

Cancer is an extensive group of diseases affecting different parts of the body. It arises from the accumulation of genetic mutations that control cell cycles. The unlimited and self-sufficient growth of cells is responsible for the major characteristics of cancers, including uncontrolled growth, invasion of adjacent tissue, metastasis, and cell immortality.1 Because of their particular anatomy and physiology, it is feasible to target tumours with various nanoprobes, for diagnosis and treatment.

Application of nanomaterials for cancer imaging and therapy

Conventional cancer therapies face challenges such as poor bioavailability and intrinsic toxicity. The therapeutic efficiency of many useful drugs is compromised by such toxicity issues. Nanomaterials, with their altered pharmacological and therapeutic efficiencies have overcome some of these conventional limitations. In the last three decades, research efforts in this field have resulted in innovative nanostructures, including polymeric and non-polymeric nanoparticles, QDs, SPIONS, AuNPs,

Conclusions

A variety of nanomaterials are being investigated for the diagnosis, imaging, and therapy of cancers. The nanometre size of the particles is responsible for a diverse range of promising properties, including the absorption, scattering, fluorescence, photoacoustic, Raman enhancement, and magnetic resonance, making inorganic nanoparticles immediately suitable for exploitation in different imaging modalities. Their capability for thermotherapy and PDT is another benefit, in addition to drug

References (145)

  • M. Slingerland et al.

    Liposomal drug formulations in cancer therapy: 15 years along the road

    Drug Disc Today

    (2012)
  • K.K. Upadhyay et al.

    The in vivo behavior and antitumor activity of doxorubicin-loaded poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate)-block-hyaluronan polymersomes in Ehrlich ascites tumor-bearing BalB/c mice

    Nanomedicine

    (2012)
  • K. Miyata et al.

    Polymeric micelles for nano-scale drug delivery

    React Funct Polym

    (2011)
  • H.S. Oberoi et al.

    Core cross-linked block ionomer micelles as pH-responsive carriers for cis-diamminedichloro platinum(II)

    J Control Release

    (2011)
  • X. Yuan et al.

    Characterization of stable lysozyme entrapped polyion complex (PIC) micelles with crosslinked core by glutaraldehyde

    Polymer

    (2005)
  • N. Bayo-Puxan et al.

    Preparation of polyion complex micelles from poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polyions

    J Control Release

    (2011)
  • A.E. Felber et al.

    siRNA nanocarriers based on methacrylic acid copolymers

    J Control Release

    (2011)
  • T. Zhang et al.

    pH-responsive nanoparticles releasing tenofovir for the prevention of HIV transmission

    Eur J Pharm Biopharm

    (2011)
  • K. Sonaje et al.

    Enteric-coated capsules filled with freeze-dried chitosan/poly(γ-glutamic acid) nanoparticles for oral insulin delivery

    Biomaterials

    (2010)
  • S. Bosi et al.

    Fullerene derivatives: an attractive tool for biological applications

    Eur J Med Chem

    (2003)
  • Y. Wang et al.

    Quantum dots, lighting up the research and development of nanomedicine

    Nanomedicine:NBM

    (2011)
  • J. Xie et al.

    Nanoparticle-based theranostic agents

    Adv Drug Deliv Rev

    (2010)
  • K. Hanaki et al.

    Semiconductor quantum dot/albumin complex is a long-life and highly photostable endosome marker

    Biochem Biophys Res Commun

    (2003)
  • N.Y. Morgan et al.

    Real time in vivo non-invasive optical imaging using near-infrared fluorescent quantum dots

    Acad Radiol

    (2005)
  • X. Gao et al.

    In vivo molecular and cellular imaging with quantum dots

    Curr Opin Biotechnol

    (2005)
  • J.E. Schroeder et al.

    Folate-mediated tumor cell uptake of quantum dots entrapped in lipid nanoparticles

    J Control Release

    (2007)
  • A. Zintchenko et al.

    Drug nanocarriers labeled with near-infrared-emitting quantum dots (quantoplexes): imaging fast dynamics of distribution in living animals

    Mol Ther

    (2009)
  • X. Yang et al.

    RGD-functionalized, DOX-conjugated, and 64Cu-labeled superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for targeted anticancer drug delivery and PET/MR imaging

    Biomaterials

    (2011)
  • S. He et al.

    Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using the bacteria Rhodopseudomonas capsulate

    Mat Lett

    (2007)
  • R. Siegel et al.

    Cancer statistics, 2013

    CA Cancer J Clin

    (2013)
  • P.C. Chen et al.

    Gold nanoparticles: from nanomedicine to nanosensing

    Nanotechnology: Science and Applications

    (2008)
  • M.S. Muthu et al.

    Targeted nanomedicines: effective treatment modalities for cancer, AIDS and brain disorders

    Nanomedicine

    (2009)
  • J.H. Grossman et al.

    Nanotechnology in cancer medicine

    Phys Today

    (2012)
  • Y. Namiki et al.

    Nanomedicine for cancer: lipid-based nanostructures for drug delivery and monitoring

    Acc Chem Res

    (2011)
  • R.K. Jain et al.

    Delivering nanomedicine to solid tumours

    Nat Rev Clin Oncol

    (2010)
  • Nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis

  • E. Ruoslahti et al.

    Targeting of drugs and nanoparticles to tumours

    JCB

    (2010)
  • W. Qiao et al.

    Cancer therapy based on nanomaterials and nanocarrier systems

    J Nanomaterials

    (2010)
  • U. Boas et al.

    Dendrimers in drug research

    Chem Soc Rev

    (2004)
  • K. Onitsuka et al.

    Convergent synthesis of platinum-acetylide dendrimers

    Chem Eur J

    (2004)
  • Y. Cheng et al.

    Design of biocompatible dendrimers for cancer diagnosis and therapy: current status and future perspectives

    Chem Soc Rev

    (2011)
  • N.K. Jain et al.

    Dendrimers for enhanced drug solubilization Douroumis D, Fahr A, editors

    (2013)
  • C. Clementi et al.

    Dendritic poly(ethylene glycol) bearing paclitaxel and alendronate for targeting bone neoplasms

    Mol Pharm

    (2011)
  • H. Kobayashi et al.

    Dendrimer-based macromolecular MRI contrast agents Characteristics and application

    Mol Imaging

    (2003)
  • Y.-Y. Lin et al.

    Tumor burden talks in cancer treatment with PEGylated liposomal drugs

    PLoS One

    (2013)
  • E. Roux et al.

    Stimuli responsive liposome-polymer complexes: towards the design of intelligent drug carriers

  • J. Yano et al.

    Antitumor activity of small interfering RNA/cationic liposome complex in mouse models of cancer

    Clin Cancer Res

    (2004)
  • A. Mukherje et al.

    Haloperidol-associated stealth liposomes: a potent carrier for delivering genes to human breast cancer cells

    J Biol Chem

    (2005)
  • B.L. Viglianti et al.

    In vivo monitoring of tissue pharmacokinetics of liposome/drug using MRI: Illustration of targeted delivery

    Magn Resonan Imag

    (2004)
  • M. Massignani et al.

    Polymersomes: a synthetic biological approach to encapsulation and delivery

    Adv Polym Sci

    (2010)
  • Cited by (201)

    • Multifunctional nanocarrier-mediated approaches and conventional therapies for effective treatment of cancer

      2023, Multifunctional Nanocomposites for Targeted Drug Delivery in Cancer Therapy
    View all citing articles on Scopus

    Declaration of Interests: Authors declare no conflict of interest.

    View full text