Clinical advances of nanocarrier-based cancer therapy and diagnostics

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and efficient new strategies are urgently needed to combat its high mortality and morbidity statistics. Fortunately, over the years, nanotechnology has evolved as a frontrunner in the areas of imaging, diagnostics and therapy, giving the possibility of monitoring, evaluating and individualizing cancer treatments in real-time.

Areas covered: Polymer-based nanocarriers have been extensively studied to maximize cancer treatment efficacy and minimize the adverse effects of standard therapeutics. Regarding diagnosis, nanomaterials like quantum dots, iron oxide nanoparticles or gold nanoparticles have been developed to provide rapid, sensitive detection of cancer and, therefore, facilitate early treatment and monitoring of the disease. Therefore, multifunctional nanosystems with both imaging and therapy functionalities bring us a step closer to delivering precision/personalized medicine in the cancer setting.

Expert opinion: There are multiple barriers for these new nanosystems to enter the clinic, but it is expected that in the near future, nanocarriers, together with new ‘targeted drugs’, could replace our current treatments and cancer could become a nonfatal disease with good recovery rates. Joint efforts between scientists, clinicians, the pharmaceutical industry and legislative bodies are needed to bring to fruition the application of nanosystems in the clinical management of cancer.

KEYWORDS:

• Cancer
• nanotherapeutics
• polymeric drug delivery systems
• nanotheranostic

Article highlights

• The clinical application of nanotechnology in cancer is changing the current diagnosis and therapy concepts and it is gradually reaching clinical use.

• Polymer-based nanoformulations, along with liposomes, are the most clinically available nanomaterials for human use. Some micelles are already available for clinical use and more ones, as well as, polymer-drug conjugates and nanoparticles, are under clinical development.

• Pharmaceutical research of nanosystems for the detection and monitoring of cancer is focused on different imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance, X-rays, computed tomography, positron-emission tomography or optical imaging. Some of these diagnosis nanosystems have also reached the market.

• There are some proof-of-principle in primary clinical trials of multifunctional nanosystems for the combination of diagnosis and therapy of cancer. They are showing the potential of nanotheranostic in the personalization of cancer treatments.

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Declaration of interest

E Luque-Michel is supported by a research grant from ‘Asociación de Amigos de la Universidad de Navarra’. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.