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Development of Polymer-Based Nanoformulations for Glioblastoma Brain Cancer Therapy and Diagnosis: An Update
Bijuli Rabha1, Kaushik Kumar Bharadwaj1, Siddhartha Pati2,3
1Department of Bioengineering & Technology, GUIST, Gauhati University, Guwahati 781014, India.
Abstract:
Brain cancers, mainly high-grade gliomas/glioblastoma, are characterized by uncontrolled proliferation and recurrence with an extremely poor prognosis. Despite various conventional treatment strategies, viz., resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, the outcomes are still inefficient against glioblastoma. The blood-brain barrier is one of the major issues that affect the effective delivery of drugs to the brain for glioblastoma therapy. Various studies have been undergone in order to find novel therapeutic strategies for effective glioblastoma treatment. The advent of nanodiagnostics, i.e., imaging combined with therapies termed as nanotheranostics, can improve the therapeutic efficacy by determining the extent of tumour distribution prior to surgery as well as the response to a treatment regimen after surgery. Polymer nanoparticles gain tremendous attention due to their versatile nature for modification that allows precise targeting, diagnosis, and drug delivery to the brain with minimal adverse side effects. This review addresses the advancements of polymer nanoparticles in drug delivery, diagnosis, and therapy against brain cancer. The mechanisms of drug delivery to the brain of these systems and their future directions are also briefly discussed.
Insights
Polymer nanoparticles offer advanced solutions for brain cancer treatment, overcoming the blood-brain barrier for targeted drug delivery and improved glioblastoma therapy. These nanodiagnostics enhance treatment efficacy through precise diagnosis and minimal side effects.
Area of Science:
- Nanomedicine
- Oncology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- High-grade gliomas, particularly glioblastoma, exhibit aggressive proliferation and recurrence, leading to poor prognoses despite conventional treatments.
- The blood-brain barrier poses a significant challenge to effective drug delivery for brain cancer therapy.
- Novel therapeutic strategies are crucial for improving glioblastoma treatment outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advancements in polymer nanoparticles for brain cancer treatment.
- To explore the application of polymer nanoparticles in drug delivery, diagnosis, and therapy for brain cancers.
- To discuss mechanisms of drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier and future directions.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on polymer nanoparticles in brain cancer therapy.
- Analysis of nanodiagnostic and nanotheranostic approaches.
- Discussion of drug delivery mechanisms and targeting strategies.
Main Results:
- Polymer nanoparticles demonstrate versatile modification capabilities for precise targeting, diagnosis, and drug delivery.
- Nanotheranostics improve therapeutic efficacy by enabling pre-surgical tumor assessment and post-surgical treatment response monitoring.
- These systems show potential for minimizing adverse side effects in brain cancer treatment.
Conclusions:
- Polymer nanoparticles represent a promising platform for overcoming the blood-brain barrier and enhancing glioblastoma treatment.
- Further research into their mechanisms and applications can lead to more effective brain cancer therapies.
- The integration of diagnosis and therapy via nanotheranostics holds significant potential for personalized cancer care.
