Polymeric nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery system for cancer therapy

A targeted delivery system based on the polymeric nanoparticles as a drug carrier represents a marvelous avenue for cancer therapy. The pivotal characteristics of this system include biodegradability, biocompatibility, non toxicity, prolonged circulation and a wide payload spectrum of a therapeutic agent. Other outstanding features are their distinctive size and shape properties for tissue penetration via an active and passive targeting, specific cellular/subcellular trafficking pathways and facile control of cargo release by sophisticated material engineering. In this review, the current implications of encapsulation of anticancer agents within polyhydroxyalkanoates, poly-(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and cyclodextrin based nanoparticles to precisely target the tumor site, i.e., cell, tissue and organ are highlighted. Furthermore, the promising perspectives in this emerging field are discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.