Advances in Nanocarriers for Effective Delivery of Docetaxel in the Treatment of Lung Cancer: An Overview

Simple Summary As lung cancer has the highest incidence rate compared to any other type of cancer, there have been extensive research studies aiming at finding a better treatment for curing this disease. One of the many approaches is by improving the delivery of anticancer drugs towards cancer cells using advanced technologies. In this review, we focused on docetaxel as one of the most commonly used drugs for lung cancer treatment and discussed the properties of the drug and the application of nanotechnology in delivering this drug to improve its efficacy and specificity while reducing its side effects. Docetaxel (DCX) is a highly effective chemotherapeutic drug used in the treatment of different types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The drug is known to have low oral bioavailability due to its low aqueous solubility, poor membrane permeability and susceptibility to hepatic first-pass metabolism. To mitigate these problems, DCX is administered via the intravenous route. Currently, DCX is commercially available as a single vial that contains polysorbate 80 and ethanol to solubilize the poorly soluble drug. However, this formulation causes short- and long-term side effects, including hypersensitivity, febrile neutropenia, fatigue, fluid retention, and peripheral neuropathy. DCX is also a substrate to the drug efflux pump P-glycoprotein (P-gp) that would reduce its concentration within the vicinity of the cells and lead to the development of drug resistance. Hence, the incorporation of DCX into various nanocarrier systems has garnered a significant amount of attention in recent years to overcome these drawbacks. The surfaces of these drug-delivery systems indeed can be functionalized by modification with different ligands for smart targeting towards cancerous cells. This article provides an overview of the latest nanotechnological approaches and the delivery systems that were developed for passive and active delivery of DCX via different routes of administration for the treatment of lung cancer.

Automated summary

Lung cancer, with the highest incidence rate among all types of cancer, presents challenges in treatment. Utilizing nanotechnology to improve drug delivery methods can enhance efficacy and reduce side effects.