Biomolecules (Jun 2022)

Nano-Based Approved Pharmaceuticals for Cancer Treatment: Present and Future Challenges

  • Francisco Rodríguez,
  • Pablo Caruana,
  • Noa De la Fuente,
  • Pía Español,
  • María Gámez,
  • Josep Balart,
  • Elisa Llurba,
  • Ramón Rovira,
  • Raúl Ruiz,
  • Cristina Martín-Lorente,
  • José Luis Corchero,
  • María Virtudes Céspedes

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12060784
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 6
p. 784

Abstract

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Cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide. To date, and despite the advances in conventional treatment options, therapy in cancer is still far from optimal due to the non-specific systemic biodistribution of antitumor agents. The inadequate drug concentrations at the tumor site led to an increased incidence of multiple drug resistance and the appearance of many severe undesirable side effects. Nanotechnology, through the development of nanoscale-based pharmaceuticals, has emerged to provide new and innovative drugs to overcome these limitations. In this review, we provide an overview of the approved nanomedicine for cancer treatment and the rationale behind their designs and applications. We also highlight the new approaches that are currently under investigation and the perspectives and challenges for nanopharmaceuticals, focusing on the tumor microenvironment and tumor disseminate cells as the most attractive and effective strategies for cancer treatments.

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