Tehran University Medical Journal (Jul 2018)
An overview of nanoparticles and their application to drug delivery in cancer: review article
Abstract
Today, nanoscience has grown and developed in various medical and therapeutic areas, including cancer treatment. On the other hand, cancer and its types have been rumored and inclusive and many people suffer from this fatal and deadly disease. Currently, existing therapeutic method, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and etc., along with the therapeutic effect, cause complications that are unpleasant for patients. Hence, scientists and researchers are looking to develop and improve treatment options and methods to deal with this serious disease. Today, nanoscience and nanotechnology have become widespread, and its various fields, including nanoparticles, are widely used for a variety of applications, especially for delivery of drugs and diagnostic items and imaging cases. Nanotechnology-based release systems have a significant impact on the release of cancer drugs. Advances in bio-materials and bio-engineering are contributing to new approaches to nanoparticles that may create a new way for the improvement of cancer patients. Nano-technology in the drug release system has had a great impact on the selection of cancer cells, the release of a targeted drug, and overcoming the limitations of conventional chemotherapy. At the present many drug delivery systems are now made of nanoparticles, and various substances have been used as drug-stimulating agents or as a reinforcing agent to improve the efficacy of the treatment and durability and stability and also the safety of anticancer drugs. The materials used to release cancer drugs are divided into various categories such as polymer, magnetic, biomolecules. In the meantime, polymer nanoparticles have been organized in the carriers of anti-cancer nanoparticles due to the process of easy production, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Although the loading of hydrophilic compounds is still confronted with limitations, due to the diversity of nanoparticle structures, it is possible to encapsulate various molecules. Also, surface changes and modification such as binding to antibodies and target ligands can also be applied to these materials, to act as target drug delivery to increase the effectiveness of treatment process. In this article, we will have an overview of cancer disease and cancer drugs and also nanoparticles and their contribution to cancer treatment.
