Inorganic nanoparticles for diagnostics, drug delivery and therapy for solid tumors

Area of Science:

• Nanomedicine
• Oncology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Solid tumors pose significant global mortality challenges.
• Current cancer therapies face limitations including toxicity, lack of specificity, multidrug resistance, and tumor microenvironment (TME) heterogeneity.
• Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) present a multifunctional platform to address these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current state of inorganic NPs for cancer therapy.
• To emphasize NP design, surface functionalization, and TME-responsive strategies.
• To provide a framework for advancing inorganic NP-based precision oncology.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive review of inorganic nanomaterials including gold, silica, iron oxide, quantum dots, copper, upconversion, and carbon-based NPs.
• Analysis of surface functionalization techniques for targeted delivery.
• Examination of TME-responsive activation mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Inorganic NPs facilitate enhanced imaging, targeted drug delivery, and combined therapeutic modalities.
• Stimulus-responsive nanoplatforms can be designed to activate specifically within the TME.
• The TME's characteristics (hypoxia, low pH, oxidative stress) can be leveraged for targeted NP activation.

Conclusions:

• Inorganic NPs are promising tools for overcoming challenges in solid tumor treatment.
• TME-responsive inorganic NPs offer a pathway to enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects.
• This review provides an integrated perspective for researchers and clinicians in precision oncology.