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Updated: Feb 1, 2026
Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model
Published on: March 20, 2020
Nanosoldiers: A promising strategy to combat triple negative breast cancer
Akshayya Pawar1, Priyanka Prabhu1
1Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM's NMIMS, V.L. Mehta Road, Vile Parle (W), Mumbai, 400056, India.
Abstract:
The phenomenal rise in cancer over the past few years has made it the second leading cause of death worldwide. Breast cancer constitutes the predominant cancer encountered in women. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most notorious form of breast cancer which involves absence of the estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on breast cancer cells. It is a real challenge for oncologists owing to the recurrence and metastasis which result in poor prognosis. Conventional therapies employed in treatment of TNBC suffer from issues of poor bioavailability, poor cellular uptake, resistance, and undesirable off-site toxicities. Nanosized delivery systems, herein designated as nanosoldiers can be smartly designed to be equipped with multiple weapons (drugs, genetic materials, photosensitizers, etc.) to fight the battle against recalcitrant TNBC in a myriad of ways such as bioavailability enhancement, targeted uptake by the TNBC cells, on-demand drug delivery at tumour site, combination therapy, multimodal therapy, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, anti-metastatic approaches, theranostics, etc. The versatility of nanosoldiers with respect to their material of composition, their mechanism of drug loading and release, ability to modify in vivo drug disposition, multifunctional characteristics enabling detection, treatment, and monitoring, etc. endows them with incredible potential to destroy the intractable TNBC cells. The focus of the review is to highlight the extraordinary potential of nanocarriers in treatment of TNBC and few challenges which need to be overcome for these nanosoldiers to form a part of the clinical armamentarium of anticancer agents.
Insights
Nanotechnology offers promising solutions for treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Nanosized delivery systems, or "nanosoldiers," enhance drug delivery and combat TNBC
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Cancer is a leading global cause of death, with breast cancer being predominant in women.
- Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents a significant clinical challenge due to its aggressive nature, recurrence, and metastasis.
- Conventional TNBC therapies face limitations including poor bioavailability, cellular uptake, resistance, and off-site toxicities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the potential of nanocarriers as therapeutic agents for triple-negative breast cancer.
- To highlight the advantages of nanosized delivery systems in overcoming conventional treatment challenges.
- To discuss the future prospects and challenges for incorporating nanocarriers into clinical practice for TNBC treatment.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on nanocarrier applications in TNBC treatment.
- Analysis of the mechanisms by which nanocarriers enhance drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy.
- Exploration of various nanocarrier-based therapeutic strategies including targeted delivery, combination therapy, and theranostics.
Main Results:
- Nanosized delivery systems ("nanosoldiers") can be engineered to improve bioavailability, target TNBC cells, and enable on-demand drug release.
- These systems facilitate combination therapy, multimodal therapy, photodynamic/photothermal therapy, and theranostics for enhanced TNBC treatment.
- Nanocarriers demonstrate versatility in composition, drug loading/release, in vivo disposition modification, and multifunctional capabilities for targeting intractable TNBC cells.
Conclusions:
- Nanocarriers exhibit extraordinary potential in destroying triple-negative breast cancer cells.
- The unique properties of nanocarriers offer significant advantages over conventional therapies for TNBC.
- Overcoming current challenges is crucial for the clinical integration of nanocarriers as anticancer agents against TNBC.
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