NANOTECHNOLOGY: A RAY OF HOPE IN MEDICAL FIELD WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS IN CANCER
Main Article Content
Keywords
Nanoparticles, nano-technology, cancer, chemotherapy, targeted therapeutics
Abstract
The use of nanotechnology is becoming more and more prevalent in medicine as well as in our daily lives. Till date, nanoparticles are the most promising method for delivering large amounts of drugs precisely and directly to cancer cells; as a result, several of these nanomaterials have been developed. These range from basic nanoagents to complex smart devices used for imaging or medication administration. Due to their vast surface area, nanomaterials often allow for the incorporation of many moieties on the surface for either additional functions or targeting. In addition to only utilizing particles for imaging, they can also carry a therapeutic drug as a payload. A theranostic agent is produced and both are combined inside the same particle. The sophistication of highly developed nanotechnology targeting techniques offers a potential avenue for clinical applications in cancer and may enhance the utility of otherwise sub-optimal formulations. This review will cover nanotechnology in both imaging and treatment, offering a broad picture of the subject and its effects on cancer imaging and treatment.
References
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35. Zhang L, et al. (2018). Bioinspired Multifunctional Melanin-Based Nanoliposome for Photoacoustic/Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Efficient Photothermal Ablation of Cancer. Theranostics; 8:1591-1606.
36. Yang G, et al. (2018). Smart Nanoreactors for pH-Responsive Tumor Homing, Mitochondria-Targeting, and Enhanced Photodynamic-Immunotherapy of Cancer. Nano letters; 18:2475-2484.
37. Wang H, et al. (2018). Targeted production of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria to overcome cancer drug resistance. Nat Comm; 9:562.
38. Mo R, Gu Z. (2016). Tumor microenvironment and intracellular signal-activated activated nanomaterials for anticancer drug delivery. Materials Today; 19:274-283.
39. Nahire R, et al. (2014). Multifunctional polymersomes for cytosolic delivery of gemcitabine and doxorubicin to cancer cells. Biomaterials; 35:6482-6497.
40. Owens EA, et al. (2016). Near-Infrared Illumination of Native Tissues for Image-Guided Surgery. J Med Chem; 59:5311-5323.
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2. Hutchison JE. (2016). The Road to Sustainable Nanotechnology: Challenges, Progress and Opportunities. ACS Sustain Chem Eng; 4:5907-5914.
3. Cheng HN, Doemeny LJ, Geraci CL, Grob Schmidt D. (2016). Nanotechnology Overview: Opportunities and Challenges. Nanotechnology: Delivering on the Promise Volume 1. Volume 1220: American Chemical Society:1-12.
4. Purohit R, Mittal A, Dalela S, Warudkar V, Purohit K, Purohit S. (2017). Social, Environmental and Ethical Impacts of Nanotechnology. Materials Today: Proceedings; 4:5461-5467.
5. Di Sia P. (2017). Nanotechnology Among Innovation, Health and Risks. Procedia Soc Beh Sci; 237:1076-1080.
6. Dilnawaz F, Acharya S, Sahoo SK. (2018). Recent trends of nanomedicinal approaches in clinics. Int J Pharm; 538:263-278.
7. Rajamani D, Bhasin MK. (2016). Identification of key regulators of pancreatic cancer progression through multidimensional systems-level analysis. Genome Med; 8:38.
8. Mikhailova, E.O. (2021). Gold nanoparticles: Biosynthesis and potential of biomedical application. J. Funct. Biomater, 12, 70.
9. Ashwini J, Aswathy TR, Rahul AB, Thara GM, Nair AS. (2021). Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Acacia caesia bark extract and its photocatalytic and antimicrobial activities. Catalysts, 11, 1507.
10. Zhang D, Li Z, Sugioka K. (2021). Laser ablation in liquids for nanomaterial synthesis: Diversities of targets and liquids. J. Phys. Photon, 3, 042002.
11. Thakur N, Ghosh, J Pandey, SK, Pabbathi A, Das J. (2022). A comprehensive review on biosynthesis of magnesium oxide nanoparticles, and their antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant activities as well as toxicity study. Inorg. Chem. Commun, 146, 110156.
12. Peng S, Zhang X, Huang H, Cheng B, Xiong Z, Du T et al. (2022). Glutathione-sensitive nanoparticles enhance the combined therapeutic effect of checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor and cisplatin in prostate cancer. APL Bioeng, 6, 046106.
13. Peng H, Li S, Xing J, Yang F, Wu A. (2022). Surface plasmon resonance of Au/Ag metals for the photoluminescence enhancement of lanthanide ion Ln3+ doped upconversion nanoparticles in bioimaging. J. Mater. Chem. B, 11, 5238–5250.
14. Sekhon SS, Kaur P, Kim YH. Sekhon SS. (2021). 2D graphene oxide–aptamer conjugate materials for cancer diagnosis. npj 2D Mater. Appl, 5, 21.
15. Kara G, Malekghasemi S, Ozpolat B, Denkbas E.B. (2021). Development of novel poly-L-lysine-modified sericin-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as siRNA carrier. Colloids Surf. A Physicochem. Eng. Asp, 630, 127622.
16. Chinnaiah K, Thivashanthi T, Asadi A, Muthuvel A, Kannan K Gohulkumar M et al. (2021). Recent advantages and applications of various biosynthesized greener silver nanoparticles. Asian J. Chem, 33, 2871–2884.
17. Sun P, Ye L, Tan, X, Peng J, Zhao L, Zhou Y. (2022). Silver Nanoparticle-Assisted Photodynamic Therapy for Biofilm Eradication. ACS Appl. Nano Mater, 5, 8251–8259.
18. Fraser B, Peters AE, Sutherland JM, Liang M, Rebourcet D, Nixon B et al. (2021). Biocompatible Nanomaterials as an Emerging Technology in Reproductive Health; a Focus on the Male. Front. Physiol, 12, 753686.
19. Gheorghe D Díez-Villares, S, Sandu R, Neac A, Neacsu DA, Serban A.Botea-Petcu A. et al. (2023). PEGylation Effects on the Interaction of Sphingomyelin Nanoemulsions with Serum Albumin: A Thermodynamic Investigation. Macromol. Mater. Eng, 308, 2200622.
20. De Leo V, Maurelli AM, Giotta L, Catucci, L.(2022). Liposomes containing nanoparticles: Preparation and applications. Colloids Surf. B Biointerfaces, 218, 112737.
21. Wang F, Bao X, Fang A, Li H, Zhou Y, Liu Y et al. (2018). Nanoliposome-encapsulated brinzolamidehydropropyl- β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex: A potential therapeutic ocular drug-delivery system. Front. Pharmacol, 9, 91.
22. Nowak-Jary J, Machnicka B. (2022). Pharmacokinetics of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for medical applications. J. Nanobiotechnol, 20, 305.
23. da Silva Filho PM, Andrade AL, Lopes JBAC, Pinheiro ADA, de Vasconcelos MA, Fonseca SGDC et al. (2021). The biofilm inhibition activity of a NO donor nanosilica with enhanced antibiotics action. Int. J. Pharm, 610, 121220.
24. Liang P, Mao L, Dong Y, Zhao Z, Sun Q, Mazhar M et al. (2021). Design and application of near-infrared nanomaterial-liposome hybrid nanocarriers for cancer photothermal therapy. Pharmaceutics, 13, 2070.
25. Ren C, Wang Z, Zhang X, et al. (2021). Construction of all-in-one peptide nanomedicine with photoacoustic imaging-guided mild hyperthermia for enhanced cancer chemother-apy. Chem Eng J ;405:127008 .
26. Affram K, Udofot O, Cat A, Agyare E. (2015). In vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of gemcitabine loaded thermosensitive liposomal nanoparticles and mild hyperthermia in pancreatic cancer. Int J Adv Res; 3:859-874.
27. Affram K, Udofot O, Agyare E. (2015). Cytotoxicity of gemcitabine-loaded thermosensitive liposomes in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Integr Cancer Sci Ther; 2:133-142.
28. Howell M, Mallela J, Wang C, Ravi S, Dixit S, Garapati U, Mohapatra S. (2013). Manganese-loaded lipid-micellar theranostics for simultaneous drug and gene delivery to lungs. J Control Release; 167:210- 8.
29. Martinez JO, et al. (2018). Biomimetic nanoparticles with enhanced affinity towards activated endothelium as versatile tools for theranostic drug delivery. Theranostics; 8:1131-1145.
30. Das M, Wang C, Bedi R, Mohapatra SS, Mohapatra S. (2014). Magnetic micelles for DNA delivery to rat brains after mild traumatic brain injury. Nanomedicine; 10:1539-48.
31. Wang C, et al. (2013). Multifunctional Chitosan Magnetic-Graphene (CMG) Nanoparticles: a Theranostic Platform for Tumor-targeted Co-delivery of Drugs, Genes and MRI Contrast Agents. J Mater Chem B; 1:4396-4405.
32. Liu Y, Zhang P, Li F, Jin X, Li J, Chen W, Li Q. (2018). Metal-based NanoEnhancers for Future Radiotherapy: Radiosensitizing and Synergistic Effects on Tumor Cells. Theranostics; 8:1824-1849.
33. Das R, et al. (2016). Boosted Hyperthermia Therapy by Combined AC Magnetic and Photothermal Exposures in Ag/Fe3O4 Nanoflowers. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces; 8:25162-9.
34. Usov NA, Nesmeyanov MS, Tarasov VP. (2018). Magnetic Vortices as Efficient Nano Heaters in Magnetic Nanoparticle Hyperthermia. Sci Rep; 8:1224.
35. Zhang L, et al. (2018). Bioinspired Multifunctional Melanin-Based Nanoliposome for Photoacoustic/Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Efficient Photothermal Ablation of Cancer. Theranostics; 8:1591-1606.
36. Yang G, et al. (2018). Smart Nanoreactors for pH-Responsive Tumor Homing, Mitochondria-Targeting, and Enhanced Photodynamic-Immunotherapy of Cancer. Nano letters; 18:2475-2484.
37. Wang H, et al. (2018). Targeted production of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria to overcome cancer drug resistance. Nat Comm; 9:562.
38. Mo R, Gu Z. (2016). Tumor microenvironment and intracellular signal-activated activated nanomaterials for anticancer drug delivery. Materials Today; 19:274-283.
39. Nahire R, et al. (2014). Multifunctional polymersomes for cytosolic delivery of gemcitabine and doxorubicin to cancer cells. Biomaterials; 35:6482-6497.
40. Owens EA, et al. (2016). Near-Infrared Illumination of Native Tissues for Image-Guided Surgery. J Med Chem; 59:5311-5323.
41. Hiroshima Y, et al. (2016). Effective fluorescence-guided surgery of liver metastasis using a fluorescent anti-CEA antibody. J Surg Oncol; 114:951-958.
42. Wicki A, Witzigmann D, Balasubramanian V, Huwyler J.(2015). Nanomedicine in cancer therapy: challenges, opportunities, and clinical applications. J Control Release; 200:138-57.
43. Varna D, Christodoulou E, Gounari E, Apostolidou CP, Landrou G, Papi R et al. (2022). Pegylated-polycaprolactone nano-sized drug delivery platforms loaded with biocompatible silver(I) complexes for anticancer therapeutics. RSC Med. Chem, 13, 857–872.
44. Biswas, A. (2023). Graphene Oxide-based Gel as Potential Nanomaterial for Sustained Release of an Anticancer Drug. Asian J. Chem, 35, 2733–2738.
45. Dutt Y, Pandey R.P, Dutt M, Gupta A, Vibhuti A, Vidic J et al. (2023). Therapeutic applications of nanobiotechnology. J. Nanobiotechnol, 21, 148.
46. Hyun H, Lee S, Lim W, Jo D, Jung JS, Jo G et al. (2019). Engineered beta-cyclodextrinbased carrier for targeted doxorubicin delivery in breast cancer therapy in vivo. J. Ind. Eng. Chem, 70, 145–151.
47. Kali G, Haddadzadegan S, Bernkop-Schnurch A. (2024). Cyclodextrins and derivatives in drug delivery: New developments, relevant clinical trials, and advanced products. Carbohydr. Polym, 324, 121500.
48. Obisesan OS, Ajiboye TO, Mhlanga SD, Mufhandu HT. (2023). Biomedical applications of biodegradable polycaprolactonefunctionalized magnetic iron oxides nanoparticles and their polymer nanocomposites. Colloids Surf. B Biointerfaces, 227, 113342.
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Oct 25, 2025
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Shruti Sharma. (2025). NANOTECHNOLOGY: A RAY OF HOPE IN MEDICAL FIELD WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS IN CANCER. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 32(9), 970-978. https://doi.org/10.53555/fp76g184
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Author Biography
Shruti Sharma
Department of Biophysics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
How to Cite
Shruti Sharma. (2025). NANOTECHNOLOGY: A RAY OF HOPE IN MEDICAL FIELD WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS IN CANCER. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 32(9), 970-978. https://doi.org/10.53555/fp76g184