Nanotechnology in placental cancers: advances in targeted therapy and non-invasive diagnostics

Placental cancers are rare but aggressive diseases that require urgent intervention while presenting unique challenges during pregnancy. The presence of a developing fetus limits the use of conventional diagnostic tools and therapeutic options. Standard chemotherapy poses risks of teratogenicity and fetal toxicity, especially in early gestation. Nanotechnology offers a promising alternative by enabling targeted and safer treatment strategies. Nanocarriers such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, and exosome mimetics have been developed to deliver therapeutic agents directly to tumor sites with minimal off-target effects. These systems improve drug solubility, control release profiles, and reduce systemic exposure. Functionalization with tumor-specific ligands allows precise targeting of trophoblastic cells, which is especially valuable in treating chemoresistant tumors like placental site trophoblastic tumor and epithelioid trophoblastic tumor. In addition, nanotechnology-based biosensors and imaging agents enhance early detection and monitoring by identifying key placental biomarkers at low concentrations. Techniques such as multiplexed detection platforms, smart nanoprobes, and liquid biopsy supported by nanoparticle enrichment offer noninvasive and rapid diagnostic alternatives during pregnancy. Despite encouraging preclinical results, challenges remain regarding placental transport, long-term biocompatibility, and ethical concerns for use in pregnant populations. This review consolidates the current landscape of nanotechnology applications in placental cancer and proposes future directions for research and clinical translation.