Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 5, 2026

A Comprehensive Procedure to Evaluate the In Vivo Performance of Cancer Nanomedicines
07:59

A Comprehensive Procedure to Evaluate the In Vivo Performance of Cancer Nanomedicines

Published on: March 4, 2017

9.4K

Nanomedicines for developing cancer nanotherapeutics: from benchtop to bedside and beyond

Javed Iqbal1, Banzeer Ahsan Abbasi2, Riaz Ahmad3

  • 1Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan. javed89qau@gmail.com.

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|September 17, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Nanoparticles (NPs) offer a promising strategy to overcome biological barriers for targeted cancer drug delivery. Optimizing NP characteristics and design is crucial for enhancing cancer nanomedicine (NM) efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nanotechnology
  • Drug Delivery

Background:

  • Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality globally, necessitating improved therapeutic strategies.
  • Current cancer treatments face challenges in selectively targeting cancer cells and overcoming biological delivery barriers.
  • Nanoparticles (NPs) show potential for enhancing drug delivery, but their characteristics influence tumor penetration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review biological barriers affecting drug delivery to cancer cells.
  • To explore strategies for designing nanoparticles (NPs) to improve tumor penetration and distribution.
  • To discuss advancements, challenges, and future directions in cancer nanomedicines (NMs).

Main Methods:

  • Literature survey on biological barriers in cancer drug delivery.
  • Analysis of NP physicochemical properties (size, shape, surface charge) and their impact on tumor penetration.
  • Review of strategies for enhancing NP-mediated drug delivery within the tumor interstitium.

Main Results:

  • Biological barriers like hepatic, renal, abnormal vasculature, and high interstitial fluid pressure impede drug delivery.
  • NP characteristics significantly affect their ability to penetrate tumor tissues.
  • Drug-coated NPs can potentially overcome these barriers for targeted delivery.

Conclusions:

  • Overcoming biological barriers is key to effective cancer drug delivery.
  • Next-generation nanomedicines require enhanced targeting, specificity, and efficacy.
  • Collaboration among academia, industry, and regulatory agencies is vital for advancing cancer NMs.
Keywords:
Biological barriersCancerChallengesDrugsNanomedicineNanoparticles

More Related Videos

Operation of a Benchtop Bioreactor12:54

Operation of a Benchtop Bioreactor

Published on: September 12, 2013

92.0K
Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies07:29

Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies

Published on: June 20, 2015

20.2K

Related Concept Videos

Sustainable Development01:43

Sustainable Development

As the human population continues to grow and use resources, we must be mindful of our planet’s natural limits. Sustainable development provides a pathway to maintain and improve human life now while also ensuring that future generations will have the resources that they need. The long-term success of sustainability efforts rests on understanding the interplay between human actions and ecological systems.
15.1K
Cancer02:18

Cancer

Cancers arise due to mutations in genes involved in the regulation of cell division, which leads to unrestricted cell proliferation. Modern science and medicine have made great strides in the understanding and treatment of cancer, including eradicating cancer in some patients. However, there is still no cure for cancer. This is largely due to the fact that cancer is a large group of many diseases.
54.3K
Development of the Lymphatic System01:15

Development of the Lymphatic System

The development of lymphatic tissues and vessels in embryonic life begins around the fifth week. These structures originate from the mesoderm layer, with lymph sacs emerging from developing veins.
The first lymph sacs to form are the paired jugular lymph sacs located at the junction of the internal jugular and subclavian veins. From these sacs, lymphatic capillary plexuses extend to the thorax, upper limbs, neck, and head, eventually forming lymphatic vessels. Each jugular lymph sac maintains a...
2.1K
Language Development01:22

Language Development

Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
916
What is Cancer?02:12

What is Cancer?

Cells and tissues must meticulously coordinate their activities for the normal functioning of the human body. Therefore, they exhibit socially responsible behavior - resting, growing, dividing, differentiating, or dying - for the organism’s benefit. Cancer arises when cells divide uncontrollably and invade other tissues or organs.
Although people have known about cancer for centuries, it was only in 1761 that Giovanni Morgagni of Padua performed a detailed autopsy of...
14.4K
Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
903