Surface Engineering of Nanoparticles toward Cancer Theranostics

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology and Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Oncology

Background:

• Multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs) are key to advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment.
• NP surface characteristics critically influence in vivo behavior, bioavailability, and theranostic efficacy.
• Careful surface tuning is essential to maximize therapeutic/diagnostic benefits and minimize side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in nanoparticle surface engineering for cancer theranostics.
• To summarize strategies and functionalities applied to NP surfaces.
• To discuss the aims and applications of surface-modified NPs in cancer care.

Main Methods:

• Overview of NP surface engineering strategies, including inorganic, organic (small molecules, polymers, nucleic acids, peptides, proteins, carbohydrates, antibodies), and biomembrane-based functionalities.
• Discussion of prefabrication and postfabrication functionalization approaches (covalent conjugation, noncovalent interactions).
• Analysis of surface modifications for introducing therapeutic/diagnostic modules, enhancing stability, improving targeting, and enabling controlled functions.

Main Results:

• Surface engineering enables the incorporation of nanozymes, antibodies, and imaging agents for theranostic capabilities.
• Modifications enhance NP stability and circulation by evading immune clearance.
• Targeting moieties facilitate active targeting, while tailored surfaces allow for trigger-responsive drug release at specific sites.

Conclusions:

• Surface-engineered NPs offer versatile platforms for next-generation cancer theranostics.
• Continued research in NP surface engineering is vital for clinical translation and broader applications.
• Addressing remaining challenges will accelerate the development of advanced NP-based cancer therapies.