Liposomal nanocarriers in precision oncology: Advances and prospects

Liposomes are among the most clinically validated nanocarriers in oncology, offering tunable physicochemical properties, improved pharmacokinetics, and reduced systemic toxicity compared with conventional chemotherapeutics. Over the past decade, advances in lipid composition, cholesterol modulation, PEGylation, and ligand-functionalization have generated increasingly stable, deformable, and biologically responsive vesicles capable of navigating the complex tumor microenvironment. Parallel progress in microfluidic and continuous-flow manufacturing has markedly enhanced size uniformity, encapsulation efficiency, and batch reproducibility, addressing longstanding barriers in scalable production. Modern liposomal systems now incorporate pH-, redox-, enzyme-, and heat-responsive lipids, as well as imaging agents that enable real-time tracking of tumor accumulation through PET, MRI, or optical modalities. These innovations have expanded liposomal applications to include programmable drug release, multimodal therapy, and image-guided treatment planning. Comparative analyses with polymeric nanoparticles, micelles, and exosomes highlight the distinct advantages of liposomes in biocompatibility, drug-loading versatility, and clinical translatability, while motivating hybrid lipid-polymer and biomimetic designs. Clinically, approved formulations such as pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and liposomal irinotecan demonstrate prolonged circulation, improved tumor exposure, and reduced cardiotoxicity or gastrointestinal toxicity, validating the therapeutic value of nanoscale encapsulation. However, translational challenges including tumor heterogeneity, immune-mediated clearance, protein corona dynamics, and stringent CMC requirements continue to limit predictable in vivo performance. This review synthesizes current mechanistic understanding, engineering strategies, and clinical evidence to outline the evolving role of liposomal nanocarriers in precision oncology. We highlight key design principles, emerging translational strategies, and future directions needed to achieve consistent, patient-specific nanomedicine delivery.