Narges Lotfalizadeh,1Soheil Sadr,2Mahdi Soroushianfar,3Ashkan Hajjafari,4Hassan Borji,5,*
1. Faculty of veterinary medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad 2. Faculty of veterinary medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad 3. Faculty of veterinary medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad 4. Islamic Azad University 5. Faculty of veterinary medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
Introduction: Despite the significant advancements in conventional treatment modalities such as chemotherapy and radiation, the field of cancer therapy still faces certain limitations that restrict its ideal effectiveness. Current cancer therapies sometimes face several problems. These challenges include the nonspecific systemic distribution of anticancer drugs, insufficient drug concentrations reaching the tumor site, severe cytotoxicity, a lack of ability to monitor therapeutic responses, and the emergence of multiple drug resistances. In recent years, there has been significant focus directed towards the utilization of nanotechnology in the field of cancer therapy. It offers a distinctive approach and comprehensive technology against cancer through early detection, prevention, prediction, medicine, and personalized therapy. The primary areas of research that prioritize the utilization of nanotechnology are target-specific medication therapy and early diagnosis approaches for diseases. Numerous research studies have employed nanoparticles in the field of cancer immunotherapy due to their various advantages over conventional approaches to cancer treatment. Initially, nanoparticles provide affirmative cover for susceptible proteins or antigens, which can be deactivated or degraded with enzymes in complex physiological conditions. Furthermore, by manipulating formulations, it is possible to manufacture nanoparticles that may effectively encapsulate specific cargo with a high degree of efficiency. This review explores cancer nanotechnology’s approaches to improving the effectiveness of cancer therapy.
Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted over nine databases to discover published articles related to cancer therapy using nanotechnology from January 2000 to January 2023. A total of 5,000 studies were funded based on the keywords searched, such as Nanotechnology, Cancer, Chemotherapy, and Immunotherapy. 300 went for full reading texts. 100 relevant articles with complete abstracts were included in the study.
Results: Nanoparticles have been used a lot in recent preclinical studies as ways to deliver immune-stimulating chemicals and tumor antigens to DCs and other APCs in a controlled and steady way. Nanoparticles can also serve as carriers for passing around immunosuppressive impulses and environments resulting from tumors by putting ICBs along with other small compounds on them. Positive results from these studies show that cancer immunotherapy involving nanoparticles may lead to effective responses from T-cells and improve anti-tumor effects in both ways. In addition, phototherapy and chemotherapy in combination with nanoparticle delivery systems can enhance immunotherapy against cancer. One advantage associated with the utilization of nonviral vectors is the ability to administer them repeatedly at a low cost while also minimizing immunological reactions due to their non-toxic nature. Liposome-mediated cationic polymers and nanoparticles are the nonviral vectors that are most commonly used. The evaluation of nanoparticles as prospective nonviral gene vectors relies on several crucial factors, including morphology such as shape, size, charge density, and colloidal stability. The combination of various immune checkpoint inhibitors with nanoparticles is a potent approach for significantly enhancing the efficacy of anticancer responses. Thankfully, nanoparticles are versatile carriers that can be used in conjunction with treatments like photothermal therapy and chemotherapy to contain not only antibodies but also vaccinations or medications.
Conclusion: During the past few years, nanotechnology has shown a substantial increase in its applications in the area of cancer nanotechnology. With nanoparticles, it is possible to develop and adjust features that are not possible with other therapeutic drugs. As the next generation of cancer therapeutics, they appear to have a promising future. Despite its multidisciplinary nature, nanotechnology exhibits the potential to yield significant technological advancements. It is progressing rapidly in its transition from theoretical constructs to practical applications.