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Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Surface-enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering Nanoprobe Ratiometry for Detecting Microscopic Ovarian Cancer via Folate Receptor Targeting
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Surface-enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering Nanoprobe Ratiometry for Detecting Microscopic Ovarian Cancer via Folate Receptor Targeting

Published on: March 25, 2019

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Advances in targeting the folate receptor in the treatment/imaging of cancers

Marcos Fernández1, Faiza Javaid1, Vijay Chudasama1,2

  • 1Department of Chemistry , University College London , London , UK.

Chemical Science
|April 21, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Folate receptor (FR) targeted therapies offer new ways to image and treat cancers. Various approaches, including drug conjugates and nanotechnology, exploit FR overexpression on tumor cells for targeted delivery.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Biochemistry
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • The folate receptor (FR) is overexpressed on many tumor cells, making it a valuable biomarker.
  • Targeting FR allows for specific delivery and imaging of cancer cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review diverse strategies for exploiting the folate receptor for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
  • To highlight the potential of FR-targeted technologies in revolutionizing cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Development of folate-conjugated small molecule-drug conjugates (SMDCs).
  • Utilizing FR-targeting antibodies, both alone and as antibody-drug conjugates.
  • Employing nanotechnology-folate platforms for targeted delivery and imaging.
  • Creating imaging variants of FR-targeted agents.

Main Results:

  • Multiple FR-targeted technologies have been developed, including SMDCs, antibody-based therapies, and nanomedicines.
  • These approaches enable targeted drug delivery and imaging of cancer cells.
  • The combination of small molecule, nanoparticle, and protein-based targeting provides comprehensive knowledge.

Conclusions:

  • Exploiting the folate receptor holds significant potential to revolutionize cancer therapy and imaging.
  • FR-targeted technologies offer promising avenues for developing sophisticated drug conjugates.
  • The diverse technological approaches targeting FR provide broad insights for future cancer treatments.

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