Recent insights into the development of nucleic acid-based nanoparticles for tumor-targeted drug delivery

Cancer is one of the most abundant causes of death in the world due to its characteristic features such as indefinite growth of cells, invasion of healthy tissues, and also metastasis. Conventional treatments of both chemotherapy and radiation have intense side effects and kills cancer cells along with normal healthy cells. Therefore, targeted drug delivery system has become the most suitable way to optimize all the side effects involved in conventional drug delivery systems. Among the various targeted drug delivery systems, nucleic acid based nanoparticles are providing a constructive treatment option against cancer. The rapid advancement of nucleic acid-based nanomedicine will lead to an effective tumor targeted drug delivery in an optimal manner. Promising features such as potential targeted drug delivery, better biocompatibility, and self-programmability could make nucleic acids as an effective nanocarrier as well as an optimal tool in the treatment of cancer. This review presents the recent insights into the development of nucleic acid-based nanoparticles for tumor-targeted drug delivery and discussed their importance and limitations in successful drug delivery for effective anticancer therapy.