Recent advances in the nanoparticle-based targeted cancer treatment: A review

Cancer remains a leading global health burden, calling for more effective therapeutic strategies to enhance potency and patient success. Implementing nanoparticles in drug delivery systems can be a potential solution for target-specific cancer therapy, addressing the shortcomings of conventional treatments in terms of bioavailability, systemic toxicity, and resistance. This review highlights recent advances in several prominent nanoparticle technologies, including liposomes, dendrimers, gold nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, quantum dots, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, and carbon nanotubes, and discusses their capabilities to enhance the precision of drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy. These nanoparticles stabilize drugs for controlled delivery and targeting, thereby enhancing penetration into the tumor microenvironment. More importantly, functionalized nanoparticles with targeting ligands, imaging agents, and multiple therapeutic modalities have created a synergistic effect that overcomes several obstacles in resistance to immunotherapy and solid tumor treatment. Despite significant advances, toxicity, scalability, and long-term biocompatibility remain concerns that need further investigation before clinical translation. This review explores current research trends, clinical developments, recent advancements, and future perspectives in nanoparticle-based therapies for cancer treatment, and further positions them in their transformative roles in modern oncology.