Transforming Cancer Care with Oncosomes: Insight into Biogenesis, Functional Role, and Therapeutic Potential

Oncosomes, a distinct subclass of extracellular vesicles released predominantly by tumor cells, have attracted increasing interest as potential carriers for targeted drug delivery in cancer research. Characterized by their large size (1-10 µm) and complex molecular cargo, including oncogenic proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, oncosomes provide a biologically relevant platform for investigating tumor-associated communication and cargo transport. Preclinical studies suggest that oncosomes may enable tumor-associated delivery of therapeutic agents; however, evidence to date remains largely proof-of-concept and derived from in vitro and animal models. This review summarizes current knowledge on oncosome biogenesis and molecular composition; discusses their roles in cancer progression and metastasis; and critically evaluates existing methodologies for oncosome isolation, characterization, and cargo loading, including incubation, electroporation, sonication, freeze-thaw cycling, and transfection. Potential advantages such as cargo capacity and biological compatibility are discussed alongside key challenges, including vesicle heterogeneity, limited loading efficiency, large-scale manufacturing constraints, safety considerations, and regulatory uncertainty. Future perspectives focus on addressing these technical and translational barriers to support the systematic evaluation of engineered oncosomes as an experimental platform for personalized and precision-oriented cancer research.