Cancer Nanotechnology - An Excursion on Drug Delivery Systems.

BACKGROUND: Nanotechnology pictures a breakthrough in the domain of cancer therapy owing to its novel properties and functions. This technology is quite amendable as it allows the scientists to engineer drug nanoparticles of dimensions 10nm - 500nm permitting them to pass via leaky vasculature of tumorigenic microenvironment with higher specificity, reduced cytotoxicity and effective release without any after effects. The central part of the review zooms onto the role of nanoparticles and their targeted delivery for the cure of cancer.

METHODS: The novel and various versatile nanoparticle platforms viz. polymeric (drug-conjugates, micelles, dendrimers), Lipid-based (liposomes, solid nanoparticle, nanostructured lipid carrier, lipid-polymer hybrid), and stimuli-sensitive (thermoresponsive, ultrasound, pH-responsive, hydrogel) etc. have been designed for a persistent, précised nanodrug delivery and the co-delivery of collegial drug conjugates leading to the formation of safer release of myriad of drugs for cancer chemoprevention.

RESULTS: The review concerns about tracing and detailing the drug delivery systems of cancer nanotechnology.

CONCLUSION: Nanotechnology is bestowed with the design, depiction, fabrication, and application of nanostructures, and devices with their controlled delivery together with the imaging of the selected target site and drug release at the specific site of action.