Transformable nanosystems for cancer treatment

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Therapeutics

Background:

• Conventional nanosystems exhibit limitations in tumor penetration, cellular uptake, immune evasion, and adaptability to the tumor microenvironment.
• Transformable nanosystems dynamically respond to tumor-specific stimuli, offering potential improvements in therapeutic efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the design strategies and therapeutic applications of transformable nanosystems in cancer therapy.
• To highlight the advantages of transformable nanosystems over conventional platforms.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive review of recent studies on transformable nanosystems.
• Focus on stimuli-responsive mechanisms, therapeutic applications, and theranostics.
• Analysis of strategies to overcome metastasis and multidrug resistance.

Main Results:

• Transformable nanosystems demonstrated enhanced tumor penetration, cellular uptake, and controlled drug release.
• Mechanisms include size reduction, charge reversal, shell detachment, and morphology transformation, leading to improved immune modulation and therapeutic efficacy.
• Applications in theranostics and overcoming resistance were explored.

Conclusions:

• Transformable nanosystems represent promising next-generation platforms for advanced cancer therapy.
• Challenges related to safety, scalability, and clinical translation need to be addressed for widespread adoption.