Application of nanomedicines in tumor immunotherapy

Tumor immunotherapy has emerged as a formidable strategy, demonstrating substantial achievements in the field of cancer treatment. Despite its remarkable success, intrinsic limitations such as insufficient targeting capabilities, side effects, and resistance to immunotherapy hinder its efficacy. To address these challenges, the utilization of nanomedicines in tumor immunotherapy has been broadly explored, capitalizing on their advantages of targeting delivery capability, loading capacity, modifiability, and biocompatibility. Through rational design approaches, nanomedicines are engineered to meet diverse delivery requirements and synergize with different regimens to maximize therapeutic efficacy while alleviating side effects. This review initially discusses the challenges associated with tumor immunotherapy and underscores the pivotal role played by nanomedicines in overcoming these obstacles. Subsequently, representative types of nanoparticles are systematically introduced based on their structural properties, advantages, potential limitations, and future research directions. Special emphasis is placed on recent advancements in a range of nanomedicines designed for specific tumor immunotherapy strategies. Finally, the clinical applications as well as prospects of nanomedicines are discussed.