Recent progress in nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems for antitumour metastasis

Tumour metastasis is one of the major factors leading to poor prognosis as well as lower survival among cancer patients. A number of studies investigating the inhibition of tumour metastasis have been conducted. It is difficult to achieve satisfactory results with surgery alone for distant metastatic tumours, and chemotherapy can boost the healing rate and prognosis of patients. However, the poor therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy drugs due to their low solubility, lack of tumour targeting, instability in vivo, high toxicity and multidrug resistance hinder their application. Immunotherapy is beneficial to the treatment of metastatic cancers, but it also has disadvantages such as adverse reactions and acquired resistance. Fortunately, delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs with nanocarriers can reduce systemic reactions caused by chemotherapeutic agents and inhibit metastasis. This review discusses the underlying mechanisms of metastasis, therapeutic approaches for antitumour metastasis, the advantages of nanodrug delivery systems and their application in reducing metastasis.

Automated summary

Tumor metastasis is a major contributor to poor prognosis and lower survival rates in cancer patients. While surgery alone is often insufficient to treat distant metastatic tumors, chemotherapy can improve healing rates and patient prognosis. However, the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs is limited by their low solubility, lack of tumor targeting, instability and toxicity, as well as multidrug resistance. Immunotherapy has shown promise but is associated with adverse reactions and acquired resistance. Fortunately, the use of nanocarriers to deliver chemotherapeutic drugs can reduce systemic reactions, inhibit metastasis, and improve therapeutic outcomes.