Polymeric Nanocarriers for Advanced Cancer Therapy: Current Developments and Future Prospects

Preview this chapter:

Polymeric Nanocarriers for Advanced Cancer Therapy: Current Developments and Future Prospects, Page 1 of 1

< Previous page | Next page > /docserver/preview/fulltext/9789815305906/chapter-12-1.gif

Cancer remains a formidable challenge in modern medicine, characterized by the uncontrolled growth and proliferation of abnormal cells that form tumors, which can infiltrate and damage healthy tissues. Metastasis, the spread of cancerous cells, exacerbates the condition, affecting immune function and organ health. Various factors contribute to cancer development, including lifestyle choices, genetics, and environmental exposures. At the cellular level, cancer progression involves mutations, survival mechanisms, invasion, and metastasis. Effective cancer treatment requires targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to tumor sites while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems offer promising solutions to this challenge, leveraging the unique characteristics of nanoparticles to enhance drug solubility, specificity, and efficacy. This abstract reviews the challenges in tumor targeting and the rationale behind it, emphasizing the importance of understanding the tumor microenvironment (TME) for developing effective strategies. The TME, comprising various cellular and non-cellular components, influences tumor progression, metastasis, and response to treatment. The enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect exploits the abnormal vascular architecture of tumors, allowing passive accumulation of nanocarriers in tumor tissues. Active targeting strategies involve surface modifications of nanoparticles to enhance specificity for cancer cells, improving drug delivery and reducing off-target effects. Polymeric nanocarriers offer several advantages, including tumor targeting, enhanced bioavailability, and reduced side effects, making them valuable tools in cancer therapy. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems hold great promise for targeted cancer treatment by overcoming the limitations of conventional therapies. Understanding tumor biology and exploiting the unique features of nanoparticles can lead to innovative approaches for combating cancer while minimizing adverse effects on healthy tissues.