Overcoming obstacles in the tumor microenvironment: Recent advancements in nanoparticle delivery for cancer theranostics

Local Cancer Recurrence: The Realities, Challenges, and Opportunities for New Therapies

“…Nanoparticles (NPs) comprise a microscopic delivery system measuring less than 100 nM in greatest dimension that can be optimized for tumor localization and efficacy by varying NP size, shape, or surface charge . NPs can be coupled with targeting ligands (ie, transferrin, low‐density lipoprotein, integrin, folate receptor, and epidermal growth factor receptor) .…”

“…A phase 2 trial using nab‐PTX in 42 patients with recurrent, refractory ovarian cancer reported a 23% response rate, a 36% stable disease rate, a median OS of 17.4 months, and no grade 4 or higher adverse events . Polymeric NPs are particularly of interest, because they can be designed to be responsive to various triggering stimuli, including microenvironmental changes in temperature, pH, or hypoxia as well as magnetic or ultrasound activation . Furthermore, radiotherapy alters the tumor microenvironment immune‐cell composition, vasculature, and cell signaling to enhance intratumoral accumulation of NPs, and the presence of NPs also may enhance the efficacy of ionizing radiotherapy …”

Surface Plasmon Resonance–Enhanced Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy of Endogenous H2S‐Triggered Au@Cu2O

“…Recently, there has been great effort in developing novel minimally invasive imaging and therapy for colon cancer based on nanomedicine . Compared with traditional methods (e.g., colonoscopy diagnosis and surgical treatment), nanomedicine‐based imaging and therapy methods are minimally invasive and can significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy and reduce the treatment pain and side effects . Among these minimally invasive technologies, photoacoustic imaging–guided photothermal therapy has attracted great attention because these two technologies can be accomplished based on the same near‐infrared (NIR) absorption region, which can simplify the preparation process and reduce costs .…”

Efficacious Doxorubicin Delivery Using Glutathione‐Responsive Hollow Non‐phospholipid Vesicles Bearing Lipoyl Cholesterols

“…The design and development of biocompatible drug delivery systems remains a promising and lead approach towards desirable outcomes for anticancer therapies . Towards achieving these therapeutic goals, the development of bioresponsive nanocarriers that respond to either exogenous (e.g., changes in temperature and magnetic field) or endogenous (e.g., changes in pH and redox potential) stimuli has been rigorously studied over the last ten years . Bio‐responsive systems have the potential to address key issues in anticancer therapy, such as inefficient drug delivery, tumour‐cell‐specific targeting and the development of resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs .…”

“…Significant efforts have been made in order to make these drug carriers bio‐responsive for effective release of the drug . In particular, the low pH of intracellular compartments (endosomes, pH≈5–6; lysosomes, pH≈4–5) relative to that of blood plasma (pH≈7.4) has been exploited for the development of pH‐sensitive nanocarriers . These nanocarriers remain stable at physiological pH, but degrade rapidly in the mildly acidic environment of endosomal/lysosomal compartments, thereby releasing the encapsulated drug inside the cells .…”