Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems in urologic oncology: From targeted therapy to precision theranostics

Area of Science:

• Nanomedicine and Urologic Oncology
• Biomaterials and Drug Delivery

Background:

• Urologic malignancies (prostate, bladder, renal cell carcinoma) present challenges due to high recurrence, drug resistance, and poor diagnostic sensitivity.
• Conventional therapies for urologic cancers have limitations in efficacy and systemic toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review recent advances in nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for urologic cancers.
• To highlight the potential of nanomedicine in improving diagnosis and treatment of urinary system tumors.

Main Methods:

• Review of inorganic, organic, and hybrid nanoparticle platforms for urologic cancer treatment.
• Analysis of nanoparticle functionalities including enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effects, ligand modification, and controlled release.
• Exploration of applications in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, gene delivery, photothermal/photodynamic therapy, imaging, and theranostics.

Main Results:

• Nanoparticles enable precise drug accumulation at tumor sites, enhancing efficacy and reducing systemic toxicity.
• Diverse nanoparticle platforms (gold, silver, liposomes, PLGA, etc.) offer multifaceted therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities.
• Significant progress has been made in targeted drug delivery, immunotherapy, gene therapy, and theranostic strategies for urologic malignancies.

Conclusions:

• Nanoparticle-based systems represent a promising frontier for advancing the clinical management of urologic cancers.
• Addressing challenges in biocompatibility, immune response, clearance, and production is crucial for clinical translation.
• Future directions include stimuli-responsive systems, personalized medicine, and synergistic multimodal approaches for improved patient outcomes.