Formulations, Pharmacodynamic and Clinical Studies of Nanoparticles for Lung Cancer Therapy - An Overview

Background: Nanoparticles play an important role in the area of drug delivery and have been applied in lung cancer treatments for the purpose of controlled release and cancer cell targeting. Method: A review covering various nanoparticle formulations for lung cancer therapy is presented. The pharmacodynamic models for evaluating anti-lung cancer drugs are summarized upon drug administration routes. Moreover, the current clinical applications of nano-drugs for lung cancer treatments are also reviewed, including the administration routes, dose forms and clinical trials. Results: The preparation methods of anti-lung cancer nanoparticles varied from different formulations. Owing to the improvement of their bioavailability, stability and residency at lung, the anti-lung cancer drugs encapsulated by nanoparticles showed better therapeutic effects than the naked drug. Likewise, characterization including pharmacology, physical and chemical properties should be taken into consideration. More importantly, different pharmacological animal models should be correctly selected for the pharmacodynamics assessment. Finally, the investigation of anti-lung cancer nanoparticles in clinical trials provided experience on further related research. Conclusion: Nanoparticle delivery system for lung cancer therapy is still in its early stage and expecting numerous challenges.