Peptides-based therapy and diagnosis. Strategies for non-invasive therapies in cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Cancer remains a leading cause of death, with metastasis being a primary driver of therapeutic failure.
• Conventional chemotherapy lacks selectivity, causing significant side effects and impacting patient quality of life.
• Targeted therapy offers a promising strategy for specific delivery of anticancer agents to tumor sites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of strategies for targeting cancer cell receptors.
• To present various targeting molecules, including antibodies, aptamers, and peptides.
• To emphasize the advantages and disadvantages of peptides in targeted cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on cancer targeting strategies.
• Analysis of different molecular modalities for receptor interaction (antibodies, aptamers, peptides).
• Focus on the characterization and recent discoveries of peptides for cancer targeting.

Main Results:

• Peptides demonstrate significant potential for targeted delivery of drugs, radioisotopes, and imaging agents.
• Cell-penetrating peptides, homing peptides, and anticancer peptides are key examples discussed.
• Recent advancements highlight novel peptide-based approaches for enhanced cancer treatment.

Conclusions:

• Targeted therapy using specific molecules like peptides offers a more selective and effective approach to cancer treatment.
• Peptides present a versatile platform for developing novel anticancer strategies with reduced systemic toxicity.
• Further research into peptide-based therapeutics is crucial for improving cancer patient survival and quality of life.