Quercetin and Its Nano-Based Formulations Against Skin Cancer: A Narrative Review

Skin cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, characterized by the abnormal growth of skin cells and significant clinical challenges. Conventional treatments-including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy-often suffer from limitations such as adverse side effects, tumor resistance, and inadequate efficacy. In this context, natural compounds have garnered attention as alternative therapeutic agents. Quercetin, a flavonoid widely distributed in fruits and vegetables, is recognized for its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. However, its clinical application is hindered by poor solubility, low bioavailability, and limited skin permeation. Recent advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of nano-based formulations that can enhance the pharmacological performance of quercetin, offering promising avenues for skin cancer management.

This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of skin cancer pathogenesis and to evaluate the mechanistic insights and therapeutic potential of quercetin-alone and in nano-formulated systems-in preclinical models. The novelty of this review lies in its integrated approach, combining an overview of natural compound therapy with the latest cutting-edge nanotechnology strategies to overcome current treatment challenges.

This literature review was performed by searching related words, including "Skin cancer," "Melanoma," "Basal cell carcinoma," "Squamous cell carcinoma," "Quercetin," "Nanotechnology," in different databases like Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scientific Information Databases until 2025.

Preclinical studies indicate that quercetin modulates multiple cellular and molecular pathways-such as those regulating apoptosis, cell cycle progression, mitochondrial function, and DNA repair-to inhibit proliferation, migration, and invasion of skin cancer cells. Nano-based delivery systems (e.g., titanium dioxide nanoparticles, nanogels, and lipid carrier gels) have been shown to further enhance these therapeutic effects by improving quercetin's stability, skin permeability, and bioavailability.

Integrating quercetin with nano-based formulations presents a novel and promising approach for targeted skin cancer therapy. While preclinical results are encouraging, further experimental and clinical investigations are necessary to fully validate these findings and facilitate translation into clinical practice.