Skin cancer therapeutics: nano-drug delivery vectors—present and beyond

Abstract

Background Skin cancers are among the widely prevalent forms of cancer worldwide. The increasing industrialization and accompanied environmental changes have further worsened the skin cancer statistics. The stern topical barrier although difficult to breach is a little compromised in pathologies like skin cancer. The therapeutic management of skin cancers has moved beyond chemotherapy and surgery. Main body of the abstract The quest for a magic bullet still prevails, but topical drug delivery has emerged as a perfect modality for localized self-application with minimal systemic ingress for the management of skin cancers. Advances in topical drug delivery as evidenced by the exploration of nanocarriers and newer technologies like microneedle-assisted/mediated therapeutics have revolutionized the paradigms of topical treatment. The engineered nanovectors have not only been given the liberty to experiment with a wide-array of drug carriers with very distinguishing characteristics but also endowed them with target specificity. The biologicals like nucleic acid-based approaches or skin penetrating peptide vectors are another promising area of skin cancer therapeutics which has demonstrated potential in research studies. In this review, a panoramic view is presented on the etiology, therapeutic options, and emerging drug delivery modalities for skin cancer. Short conclusion Nanocarriers have presented innumerable opportunities for interventions in skin cancer therapeutics. Challenge persists for the bench to bedside translation of these highly potential upcoming therapeutic strategies. Graphic abstract

Enhancing Skin Cancer Immunotheranostics and Precision Medicine through Functionalized Nanomodulators and Nanosensors: Recent Development and Prospects

“…Recently, local applications of drug or immune-based nanoformulations for skin cancer therapeutics have been explored with considerable success. Topical delivery is a promising alternative to generalized therapy with reduced systemic toxicity, irritation risk, and optimal permeation [ 74 ]. Furthermore, drug resistance in cancers can pose therapeutic ineffectiveness, and hence various drugs and dosages need to be tested in nanoparticles.…”

Magnetic Gels in Skin Cancer Treatment: A Review of Potential Applications in Diagnostics, Drug Delivery and Hyperthermia

“…They are composed of surgical procedures (excision with standardized margin or Mohs micrographic surgery), radiation, chemotherapy (topical and systemic), electrodessication and curettage, cryotherapy, and photodynamic therapy. The choice of therapy is dependent on the cancer type, the patient's suitability and preference, the expertise of the health professional, and the availability of local services [15,34].…”

“…The surgical procedure remains the main choice for the treatment of any type of skin cancer. Both the excision, Moh's micrographic surgery, and curettage and electrodessication need adjunct or complementary therapies in most cases, such as the topical administration of medicines for wound healing, pain relief, and protection [34].…”

“…The cell exposition to radiation can activate many complex signaling cascades, which can result in cell cycle arrest or cellular apoptosis. This radiation exposure can produce the activation of various DNA repair mechanisms, in order to avoid the downstream effects on untreated neighboring cells [15,34].…”

“…Moreover, the necessity of targeting the cancer cells, avoiding the death of normal cells, and also developing more effective and safer therapies more, justifies the investigation and development of new strategies and technologies. In this context, magnetic gels have been proposed for the treatment of skin cancer [34,35].…”