Advancements in Nanoparticle-Based Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Breast Cancer

Cancer is a leading cause of death and life-threatening disease globally. It is connected to persistent tissue damage and unregulated cellular proliferation. In females, breast cancer plays a crucial role in death rates. Chemotherapy, alongside surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy, is a first-line treatment, but its non-specific action harms both cancerous and healthy cells, causing severe side effects. The treatment options for breast cancer are based on the disease stage, which spans from stages 0 to IV. To mitigate this issue, novel strategies focusing on specific targets have been introduced in recent times. Advanced nanocarriers are focused on tumor-specific drug delivery using active targeting based on ligand-receptor identification, this approach has the potential to demonstrate enhanced efficacy compared to passive targeting strategies in the context of therapy for human breast cancer. Surface alteration can assist overcome this issue. This overview focuses on modified nano-sized carriers, including liposomes, micelles, polymeric nanocarriers, carbon dots, and gold nanoparticles. It has been studied to improve therapeutics efficacy, bioavailability, and pharmacokinetics features via mechanisms. The primary aim is no longer confined to merely enveloping cancer medications in novel formulations for diverse delivery pathways; instead, the emphasis lies on precise cancer targeting. This review focuses on the stages of breast cancer, obstacles, types of breast cancer therapies, techniques, and various nanocarriers using ligand-mediated drug delivery systems and their mechanisms.