Nanotechnology Applications in Cancer Treatment: An Overview
ABSTRACT
Cancer remains one of the most dreaded and enigmatic diseases, with current treatment methods primarily limited to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Ironically, these conventional approaches often pose significant risks, including damage to healthy tissues and the possibility of cancer recurrence due to incomplete eradication of malignant cells. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising field with the potential to revolutionize cancer diagnosis and therapy. It offers an innovative means of targeting cancerous cells directly and selectively. Advances in materials science have led to the development of novel nanoscale targeting strategies that may offer new hope to cancer patients. Several therapeutic nanocarriers have already been developed and approved for clinical use, incorporating molecules that selectively bind to and target cancer cells. This review provides an overview of the application of nanotechnology in oncology, focusing on the types of nanoscale particles, the potential of nanocarriers and targeting molecules in cancer diagnosis and treatment, and the emerging possibilities of destroying malignant tumors with minimal damage to healthy tissues and organs.
KEYWORDS: Cancer; Nanotechnology; Nanocarriers; Disease diagnostics; Therapy
