Strategies for active tumor targeting-an update

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Current cancer treatments like chemotherapy lack specificity, harming healthy tissues.
• Passive targeting strategies (e.g., enhanced permeability and retention) have shown limited success in accumulating drugs at tumor sites.
• There is a critical need for more effective and targeted cancer drug delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current significant targets for active tumor drug delivery systems.
• To provide insight into the direction of active tumor-targeting strategies.
• To explore the integration of active targeting with nano delivery systems for improved cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

• Systematic understanding of physiological factors and tumor microenvironment.
• Focus on overexpressed receptors and associated proteins.
• Exploration of angiogenesis-mediated targeting, receptor-mediated targeting, and peptide targeting.

Main Results:

• Active targeting strategies demonstrate potential for specific drug accumulation at tumor sites.
• Integration with nano delivery systems enhances targeted action and reduces off-target effects.
• Identified key targeting mechanisms including angiogenesis, receptor, and peptide-based approaches.

Conclusions:

• Active tumor targeting, especially with nanotechnology, offers a promising strategy to improve cancer treatment efficacy and reduce side effects.
• Further in-depth clinical studies are required for the commercial translation of these advanced tumor-targeting methods.
• Understanding tumor physiology and microenvironment is crucial for developing effective active targeting systems.