Swati Laxman Naik
1 
, Priyanka Ashwathraju
1, Hindustan Abdul Ahad
2, Edukulla Satheesh Kumar
1* 1 Department of Pharmacy Practice, R R College of Pharmacy, Chikkabanavara, Bengaluru-90, India
2 Department of Pharmaceutics, R R College of Pharmacy, Chikkabanavara, Bengaluru-90, India
Abstract
Introduction: The treatment of cancer continues to face challenges because existing drugs do not target cancers effectively, cause harm throughout the body, and patients develop resistance to standard therapies. This review seeks to evaluate the latest developments in nanotechnology-based systems that deliver drugs in a targeted and controlled manner while providing personalized treatment through the investigation of nanocarrier development, Tumor Microenvironment (TME)-responsive systems, and multimodal cancer therapy techniques.
Methods: The research team conducted an extensive literature review by examining three databases, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, to identify recent peer-reviewed studies that included both preclinical and clinical studies. The selected studies were assessed based on their nanocarrier physical and chemical characteristics, their two targeting methods, which included passive and active targeting, their TME-responsive systems, and their combined treatment methods, which included combination therapy and co-delivery methods.
Results: The use of nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems resulted in better pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties because tumors became more selective as their bioavailability increased, their circulation time extended, and their systemic toxicity decreased. The targeted ligand-based systems and TME-responsive technology allowed for precise drug release at specific body locations. The multimodal strategies, which included combination therapies and co-delivery systems, demonstrated their ability to produce synergistic outcomes that help to combat drug resistance while enhancing patient outcomes.
Conclusion: The field has made notable achievements, yet it faces multiple obstacles, including the need to counter tumor heterogeneity, the difficulties of deep tissue penetration and immunogenicity, the challenges in creating complex products, and the need to follow regulatory rules and the expense of developing products. The future of cancer therapy will be accomplished through the integration of artificial intelligence into nanocarrier design, the development of tailored nanomedicine, and the creation of new stimuli-responsive systems, which will result in better clinical outcomes.