Nanomedicine, A New Therapeutic Strategy in Breast Cancer treatment

Abstract

Background: As cancers, especially breast cancer, have become the most lethal and concerning subject, new methods to promote therapies and achieve better results are strongly essential. Nanotechnology has offered a new approach to advocate the strategies being used and to vanquish their impediments. This article provides a review of the nanomaterials used most recently, mainly in breast cancer, for more effective and specific treatment.
Methods: Documents were found in PubMed and Google Scholar using “nanomaterials” and “breast cancer” as the main keywords. Additionally, each individual nanomaterial with “liposomes”, “polymeric NPs”, “dendrimers”, “quantum dots”, “virus like nanoparticles” and “magnetic NPs” keywords were searched and selected after assessing publishers, journals impact and their relativities to the subject of the review.
Results: Six frequently used nanoparticles in breast cancer treatment including liposomes, polymeric NPs, dendrimers, VLPs, quantum dots, and magnetic NPs were selected to be discussed in this review. They all showed correlative results such as promoting drug maintenance, hydrophilicity, and accumulation in the tumor site by their specific cell targeting system and high cellular uptake. Each of these NPs has unique properties and disadvantages and therefore many in vitro and in vivo experiments have been carried out.
Conclusion: Extensive research in nanotechnology in medicine, especially in cancer, suggests that nanotechnology could be the dawn of a new era in cancer treatment and imaging.