Magnetic nanoparticles in cancer nanomedicine: advances in targeting, hyperthermia, and theranostics

Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, driven in part by the limitations of conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which often lack tumor specificity and incur systemic toxicity. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have emerged as versatile agents that overcome these barriers by providing guided drug delivery, hyperthermic ablation, and integrated theranostic functionalities. Their nanoscale dimensions and tunable surface chemistries allow high efficiency loading of chemotherapeutics, while their superparamagnetic cores enable spatial guidance under external magnetic fields and localized heating to induce cancer cell apoptosis. When paired with light responsive agents, MNPs further facilitate synergistic photothermal and photodynamic therapies. Moreover, integration of magnetic resonance contrast agents and fluorescence labels permits non-invasive tracking of nanoparticle biodistribution and treatment response. Recent advances in MNP design have demonstrated enhanced colloidal stability, stimulus triggered cargo release, and receptor mediated targeting across diverse cancer models. This review highlights the recent advances in MNP based cancer targeting and hyperthermia, showcasing how integrating magnetic, thermal and optical functionalities can further improve precision oncology therapies.