Advances in nanomedicine strategies for modulating the tumor microenvironment: Recent progress and clinical...

The tumor microenvironment (TME) significantly impacts tumor development, metastasis, immune evasion, and resistance to conventional treatments. Recent nanomedicine advancements aid the formation of intelligent, multipurpose nanosystems that precisely target and modify various TME elements, including hypoxia, extracellular matrix, tumor-associated macrophages, and immunological checkpoints. The review highlights recent advancements in nanotechnology-based methods for optimizing medication delivery, renewing the TME, and enhancing treatment outcomes. It discusses the impact of nanomedicines on the TME, including immune modulation, stimuli-responsive drug release, and the restoration of abnormal vasculature. It also demonstrates the translational landscape of these methods, focusing on safety profiles, clinical trials, and scaling challenges from preclinical models to clinical applications. Nanomedicine offers personalized cancer treatments by regulating tumor TME, enhancing immunity, restoring tumor vasculature, and targeting multiple TME components through smart nanocarriers. Combination approaches with immunotherapy, photothermal therapy, and chemotherapy show synergistic results. Clinical trials show promise but face scalability and reproducibility issues.