Metal-Based Nanostructured Therapeutic Strategies for Glioblastoma Treatment—An Update

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most commonly diagnosed and most lethal primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Standard treatments are ineffective, and despite promising results obtained in early phases of experimental clinical trials, the prognosis of GBM remains unfavorable. Therefore, there is need for exploration and development of innovative methods that aim to establish new therapies or increase the effectiveness of existing therapies. One of the most exciting new strategies enabling combinatory treatment is the usage of nanocarriers loaded with chemotherapeutics and/or other anticancer compounds. Nanocarriers exhibit unique properties in antitumor therapy, as they allow highly efficient drug transport into cells and sustained intracellular accumulation of the delivered cargo. They can be infused into and are retained by GBM tumors, and potentially can bypass the blood–brain barrier. One of the most promising and extensively studied groups of nanostructured therapeutics are metal-based nanoparticles. These theranostic nanocarriers demonstrate relatively low toxicity, thus they might be applied for both diagnosis and therapy. In this article, we provide an update on metal-based nanostructured constructs in the treatment of GBM. We focus on the interaction of metal nanoparticles with various forms of electromagnetic radiation for use in photothermal, photodynamic, magnetic hyperthermia and ionizing radiation sensitization applications.

Cancer Metabolism: The Role of ROS in DNA Damage and Induction of Apoptosis in Cancer Cells

“…PDT is a new type of anticancer therapy in which ROS generated during treatment induces cell death through oxidative damage to cells (such as mitochondria, DNA, proteins, and cell membranes). Existing research studies show that PDT has a good effect on the treatment of cervical cancer, colon cancer, skin cancer, and lung cancer and that it has fewer adverse effects than surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment [ 141 , 142 ]. PDT is a photochemical reaction.…”