Advanced strategies for nucleic acids and small-molecular drugs in combined anticancer therapy

Area of Science:

• Oncology and Nanotechnology
• Molecular Biology and Pharmacology

Background:

• Cancer arises from genetic mutations affecting cell control, posing treatment challenges.
• Current therapies struggle with tumor heterogeneity and drug resistance.
• Nanotechnology-based combined therapy offers enhanced anticancer effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advancements in co-delivering small-molecule drugs and nucleic acids using nanomedicine for cancer therapy.
• To highlight the advantages and discuss challenges of nanomedicine-based combination therapy.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of current nanomedicine strategies for combined drug and nucleic acid delivery.
• Analysis of therapeutic cargo molecules including nucleic acids (pDNA, miRNA, siRNA) and drugs (doxorubicin, paclitaxel, etc.).

Main Results:

• Nanomedicine facilitates the co-delivery of diverse therapeutic agents.
• Combined therapy demonstrates superior efficacy compared to single-agent treatments.
• Identified key barriers and strategies for overcoming clinical challenges in nanomedicine-based cancer treatment.

Conclusions:

• Nanomedicine-based co-delivery of drugs and nucleic acids is a powerful strategy for overcoming cancer treatment limitations.
• Further research is needed to address clinical barriers and optimize future combination therapies.