Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 27, 2025
A Comprehensive Procedure to Evaluate the In Vivo Performance of Cancer Nanomedicines
Published on: March 4, 2017
Nanomedicine tactics in cancer treatment: Challenge and hope
Mazhar Salim Al-Zoubi1, Raed M Al-Zoubi2
1Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid 211-63, Jordan.
Abstract:
Defeating cancer is the ultimate challenge and goal of oncologists, facing various obstacles along with finding effective anti-cancer therapies and understanding drug delivery mechanisms. Additionally, the translation of the experimental findings to the clinical outcomes such as specificity, delivery, toxicity, clearance, and bioavailability is another health concern. Nanomedicine is a branch of nanotechnology that has been drastically developed in the last decades. Due to the fact of various nanomaterial formulas, different nanomedicine drug delivery tactics have been developed as anti-cancer therapies. The most effective and less toxic approaches involved the active targeting drug delivery tactic, which relies on the recognition of the drug nanoparticle carriers and the cell surface marker. Accordingly, FDA approved such a group of nanomedicine drug delivery systems while other formulas are still under the clinical trial phases. Nanomedicine is showing a bright future in the treatment of cancer. Oncologists learned from cancer research the possible drug resistance that could be developed. Consequently, researchers need to be prepared for the possible adverse effect of the nanomedicine approach.
Insights
Nanomedicine offers promising cancer treatments by improving drug delivery. Active targeting nanomedicine shows effectiveness and reduced toxicity, with some systems FDA-approved for cancer therapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Nanotechnology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Cancer treatment faces challenges in effective therapies and drug delivery.
- Translating experimental findings to clinical outcomes (specificity, toxicity, bioavailability) remains a concern.
- Nanomedicine, a rapidly advancing field of nanotechnology, offers novel anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the development and application of nanomedicine in cancer therapy.
- To highlight the advantages of active targeting drug delivery systems.
- To discuss the clinical translation and future prospects of nanomedicine in oncology.
Main Methods:
- Review of nanomedicine applications in cancer treatment.
- Focus on active targeting drug delivery mechanisms.
- Analysis of FDA-approved and clinical trial-stage nanomedicine systems.
Main Results:
- Various nanomedicine drug delivery tactics have been developed for anti-cancer therapies.
- Active targeting strategies demonstrate enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity.
- Several nanomedicine systems are FDA-approved, with others in clinical trials.
Conclusions:
- Nanomedicine presents a bright future for cancer treatment.
- Active targeting nanomedicine is a key strategy for effective and less toxic cancer therapy.
- Anticipation of potential drug resistance and adverse effects is crucial for future nanomedicine development.
Related Concept Videos
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
02:49Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
02:56Treatment Resistant Cancers
01:30Cancer Vaccines
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
02:18Cancer