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A Comprehensive Procedure to Evaluate the In Vivo Performance of Cancer Nanomedicines
Published on: March 4, 2017
Current landscape of treating different cancers using nanomedicines: Trends and perspectives
Carolina Salvador Morales1, Piotr Grodzinski1
1Nanodelivery Systems and Devices Branch, Cancer Imaging Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA.
Abstract:
The efforts to use novel nanotechnologies in medicine and cancer have been widespread. In order to understand better the focus areas of cancer nanomedicine research to date, we conducted a survey of nanomedicine developmental and clinical research in conjunction with treatment of various cancers. The survey has been performed based on number of publications, rate of citations, entry into clinical trials, and funding rates by the National Cancer Institute. Our survey indicates that breast and brain cancers are the most and one of the least studied by nanotechnology researchers, respectively. Breast cancer nano-therapies seem to also be most likely to achieve clinical translation as the number of publications produced, amount of funding, total citations, and clinical trials (active and completed) are the highest when compared with research in other cancers. Brain cancer, despite its low survival, has capture much less attention of nanomedicine research community as survey indicated, although nanotechnology can offer novel approaches which can address brain cancer challenges. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.
Insights
Nanotechnology research in cancer is extensive, with breast cancer receiving the most attention and brain cancer the least. Breast cancer nanotherapies show the highest potential for clinical translation.
Area of Science:
- Oncologic Disease
- Nanomedicine
- Therapeutic Approaches
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Nanotechnology applications in medicine and cancer treatment are rapidly expanding.
- A comprehensive survey was conducted to map the landscape of nanomedicine research in oncology.
- Understanding research focus is crucial for strategic development in cancer nanomedicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and analyze the primary focus areas of cancer nanomedicine research.
- To evaluate the progress and clinical translation potential of nanomedicine across different cancer types.
- To highlight disparities in research attention, particularly for understudied cancers like brain cancer.
Main Methods:
- Survey of nanomedicine research based on publication volume and citation rates.
- Analysis of National Cancer Institute funding rates for nanomedicine projects.
- Assessment of nanomedicine's progression into clinical trials for various cancers.
Main Results:
- Breast cancer exhibits the highest level of nanomedicine research activity and funding.
- Nanomedicine research for breast cancer demonstrates the greatest likelihood of clinical translation.
- Brain cancer, despite its challenges, receives significantly less nanomedicine research attention.
Conclusions:
- Current nanomedicine research is disproportionately focused on certain cancers, notably breast cancer.
- There is a critical need to increase nanomedicine research efforts for understudied, aggressive cancers like brain cancer.
- Nanotechnology holds promise for addressing unmet needs in challenging oncologic diseases.
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