Nanodelivery systems: An efficient and target-specific approach for drug-resistant cancers

BackgroundCancer treatment is still a global health challenge. Nowadays, chemotherapy is widely applied for treating cancer and reducing its burden. However, its application might be in accordance with various adverse effects by exposing the healthy tissues and multidrug resistance (MDR), leading to disease relapse or metastasis. In addition, due to tumor heterogeneity and the varied pharmacokinetic features of prescribed drugs, combination therapy has only shown modestly improved results in MDR malignancies. Nanotechnology has been explored as a potential tool for cancer treatment, due to the efficiency of nanoparticles to function as a vehicle for drug delivery.MethodsWith this viewpoint, functionalized nanosystems have been investigated as a potential strategy to overcome drug resistance.ResultsThis approach aims to improve the efficacy of anticancer medicines while decreasing their associated side effects through a range of mechanisms, such as bypassing drug efflux, controlling drug release, and disrupting metabolism. This review discusses the MDR mechanisms contributing to therapeutic failure, the most cutting-edge approaches used in nanomedicine to create and assess nanocarriers, and designed nanomedicine to counteract MDR with emphasis on recent developments, their potential, and limitations.ConclusionsStudies have shown that nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery confers distinct benefits over traditional pharmaceuticals, including improved biocompatibility, stability, permeability, retention effect, and targeting capabilities.

Automated summary

Chemotherapy for cancer treatment has adverse effects and drug resistance. Nanotechnology has been explored as a potential tool to improve the efficacy of anticancer drugs and reduce their side effects.