Engineering Nanocomposite Materials for Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Cancer accounted for 13% of all deaths worldwide in 2005. Although early detection is critical for the successful treatment of many cancers, there are sensitivity limitations associated with current detection methodologies. Furthermore, many traditional anticancer drug treatments exhibit limited efficacy and cause high morbidity. The unique physical properties of nanoscale materials can be utilized to produce novel and effective sensors for cancer diagnosis, agents for tumor imaging, and therapeutics for cancer treatment. Functionalizing inorganic nanoparticles with biocompatible polymers and natural or rationally designed biomolecules offers a route towards engineering responsive and multifunctional composite systems. Although only a few such innovations have reached human clinical trial to date, nanocomposite materials based on functionalized metal and semiconductor nanoparticles promise to transform the way cancer is diagnosed and treated. This review summarizes the current state-of-the-art in the development of inorganic nanocomposites for cancer-related applications.

15 years on siRNA delivery: Beyond the State-of-the-Art on inorganic nanoparticles for RNAi therapeutics

“…For instance, several solid tumours have defective vasculature and poor lymphatic drainage, due to their rapid growth, resulting in an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, facilitating the delivery of therapeutics to this region [165,166]. This effect allows nanocarriers to accumulate specifically at the tumour site [167]. Tumour cells are supplied by blood capillaries that perfuse the cells of the tissue, and nanocarriers can passively accumulate or anchor through targeting moieties to biomarkers overexpress by tumour cells.…”

Supramolecular nanoscale assemblies for cancer diagnosis and therapy

“…Inert metals such as gold and titanium are the ones most commonly used for controlled release of anticancer drugs [154]. Gold NPs (AuNPs) are functional inorganic NPs.…”

Multifunctional Gold Nanocarriers for Cancer Theranostics: From Bench to Bedside and Back Again?

“…Conventional therapy methods in cancer involve the employment of anticancer agents that do not greatly differentiate between cancerous and normal cells (Minelli et al, 2010). Efficient in vivo targeting to heterogeneous population of cancer cells and tissue still requires better selectivity and decreased toxicity to surrounding normal cells, towards a decrease of systemic toxicity, adverse and severe side effects (Liu et al, 2007).…”

“…Numerous tumors present with defective vasculature and poor lymphatic drainage, due to the rapid growth of solid tumors, resulting in an enhanced permeability and retention effect. This effect allows nanoparticles to accumulate specifically at the tumor site (Minelli et al, 2010;Gil and Parak, 2008). Once the tumor is directly connected to the main blood circulation system, multifunctional Further work in tumor targeting was reported in a subcutaneous model of colon cancer, where it was demonstrated that systemically delivered AuNPs (size, approximately 33 nm) conjugated to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) accumulated in tumors (Paciotti et al, 2004).…”