Nanoparticles: The materials having overall dimensions in the nanoscale, or under 100 nm, are referred to as nanoparticles. These materials have recently become significant and important players in contemporary medicine, with therapeutic uses ranging from contrast agents in imaging to carriers for the transport of drugs and genes in tumors.

Nanoparticles in the diagnosis of cancer

Early cancer identification solves half of the difficulty in the fight against cancer. Imaging techniques used to diagnose cancer include X-rays, ultrasonography, CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and PET scans. Morphological alterations in tissues or cells (histopathology or cytology) aid in cancer diagnosis. These approaches detect cancer only after apparent alterations in tissues have occurred, at which point the disease may have spread and produced metastasis. Another disadvantage of standard imaging methods is their inability to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors. Furthermore, cytology and histopathology cannot be used as independent, sensitive diagnostics for early cancer detection.

Although nanoparticles have not yet been utilized in cancer diagnosis, they are being used in a variety of medical screening assays. Gold nanoparticles are a popular ingredient in home test strips. One notable advantage of employing nanoparticles for cancer detection is that they have a high surface area to volume ratio when compared to bigger equivalents.

Nanodevices have been explored for their ability to detect blood indicators as well as toxicity to neighbouring healthy tissues. Cancer-related circulating tumor cells, associated proteins or cell surface proteins, carbohydrates or circulating tumor nucleic acids, and tumor-shed exosomes are examples of biomarkers. Though it is generally recognised that these biomarkers aid in the early detection of cancer, they also aid in the monitoring of therapy and recurrence. They have disadvantages such as low concentrations in bodily fluids, differences in amounts and timings between individuals, and challenging prospective investigations. Nanotechnology, with its extreme specificity and sensitivity, overcomes these obstacles. Nano-enabled sensors allow high sensitivity, specificity, and multiplexed readings. Next-generation devices combine capture with genetic analysis to shed more light on an issue.

Nanoparticles in treatment of cancer

This may be divided into chemotherapy delivery, immunotherapy, radiation, and gene therapy, with chemotherapy delivery aiming to improve pharmacokinetics and reduce drug toxicity by selective targeting and delivery to cancer tissues. This is essentially based on passive targeting, which makes use of the previously documented EPR effect. Nanocarriers lengthen the half-life of medicines. Immunotherapy, which is centred on understanding the tumor-host interaction, is a potential new approach in cancer treatment. Nanotechnology is being researched as a means of delivering immunostimulatory substances. It can be used in conjunction with other therapies.

Radiotherapy

This technology entails targeted radioisotope delivery, targeted radiosensitizer delivery, reduced side effects of radiotherapy by decreasing distribution to healthy tissues, combining radiotherapy with chemotherapy to achieve synergism while avoiding side effects, and administering image-guided radiotherapy. Guided radiation enhances precision and accuracy while limiting exposure to normal tissues in the surrounding area.

Gene Therapy

There is a lot of interest in gene therapy research for cancer, but the results are still far from practical use. Despite a large range of gene modulation therapies available, such as gene silencing, anti-sense therapy, RNA interference, and gene and genome editing, finding a mechanism to deliver these effects is difficult. Nanoparticles are exploited as gene therapy carriers because of their ease of manufacture and functionalization, as well as their minimal immunogenicity and toxicity. The use of nanoparticles for gene delivery has a bright future. Gene therapy is still in its infancy, yet it holds great promise.

Nano-drug delivery systems

• Dendrimers are innovative nanostructures distinguished by a spherical three-dimensional form, a monodispersed uni-micellar nature, and a nanometric size range. Dendrimer biocompatibility has been used to administer strong drugs such as doxorubicin. This nanostructure attaches ligands to the surfaces of cancerous cells. Dendrimers have been extensively studied for their potential to target and administer cancer therapies as well as magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents. The gold coating on its surface considerably lowered its toxicity without reducing its size. It also worked as an anchor for high-affinity targeting molecules to be attached to tumor cells.
• Quantum dots (QDs) offer exceptional physical characteristics. Quantum dot-based probes have shown promising advances in cellular and in vivo molecular imaging. Increasing research indicates that quantum dot technology may be a promising technique in cancer research. In 1998, biocompatible QDs were introduced for in vitro mapping of cancer cells. These were utilized to develop QD-based probes for cancer imaging that were conjugated with cancer-specific ligands, antibodies, or peptides. QD-immunohistochemistry (IHC) is more sensitive and specific than traditional immunohistochemistry (IHC) and can measure at low levels, providing significantly more information. Quantum dot imaging has emerged as a promising technology for early cancer detection.
• Liposomal nanoparticles: These play a role in delivering drugs to particular target sites while decreasing biodistribution toxicity due to their surface-modifiable lipid content and cell membrane-like structure. Liposome-based theranostics (particles designed to carry therapeutic and diagnostic moieties simultaneously) offer the benefit of targeting specific cancer cells. Liposomes are more stable in circulation and improve medication solubility. They also function as sustained release preparations, shielding the medication from degradation and pH fluctuations, extending the drug's circulation half-life. Liposomes aid in the treatment of multidrug resistance. Liposome administration is combined with drugs such as doxorubicin, daunorubicin, mitoxantrone, paclitaxel, cytarabine, and irinotecan.

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