Treatment of skin cancer: From conventional to nanotechnological approaches

Skin cancer represents a global health challenge with rising incidence rates, requiring the development of comprehensive therapeutic strategies. Although conventional therapies, both local (surgery, radiotherapy) and systemic (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, molecular therapy), remain the cornerstone of managing various types of skin cancer, nanotechnology approaches now represent the cutting edge of skin cancer treatment, offering targeted drug delivery and reduced systemic toxicity. However, some limits on clinical transfer are still present. This review examines current treatment modalities ranging from conventional approaches to emerging nanotechnological innovations, such as lipid-based nanosystems (vesicles, solid lipid nanoparticles), as well as polymeric nanocarriers (nanospheres, nanocapsules, dendrimers, polymeric micelles) and new programmable nanocarriers (framework nucleic acids and microneedles) in the treatment of the most aggressive skin cancers, such as basal cell, squamous cell carcinomas and melanoma. These delivery nanosystems demonstrate superior biocompatibility, controlled drug release, enhanced therapeutic efficacy compared to conventional formulations and treatments, enabling size-dependent skin penetration and effectively reaching dermal layers, avoiding off-target effects. Therefore, the integration of traditional therapeutic approaches with nano-technological systems represent a promising strategy to enhance patient outcomes by providing personalized, targeted treatment strategies in the management of skin cancer.