Anticancer lipid-based drug delivery systems: Basic knowledge and recent applications

Cancer is a complicated disease that thrives on certain features collectively known as cancer hallmarks (e.g. growth signals autonomy, evading apoptosis, evading immune system, ability of metastasis, etc.). Anticancer drugs suffer from low bioavailability and severe side effects due to the arsenal of barriers (e.g. tumor microenvironment, efflux proteins, etc.) cancer have to hinder their delivery. Consequently, passive and active targeting of anticancer drugs is a necessity. Lipid based nano drug delivery systems (DDS) (e.g. liposomes, niosomes, self-emulsifying DDS, solid lipid nanoparticles and nanostructured lipid carriers), emerges as an approach of smart delivery of the anticancer drug. Therefore, achieving targetability, safety and efficacy. Lipid based DDS proved applicability and did not stop at the point of delivering anticancer drugs. They extended their mission to fighting anticancer multiple drug resistance, protection of cancer vaccination agents and therapeutic nucleic acids molecules. Furthermore, they achieved additional diagnostic roles (i.e. theranostics) and showed flexibility to be formulated for different routes of administration. They combined physical stimuli responsive therapy with pharmacological therapy, to name a few. • Cancer hallmarks (e.g. evading apoptosis, evading immune system, etc.) are common features to nearly all cancer types. • Passive and active targeting of anticancer drug delivery systems contribute to their success. • Cancer imposes barriers against anticancer drug delivery systems that can be understood in the light of cancer hallmarks. • Lipid based drug delivery systems are a promising solution to the problems facing anticancer drugs. • Lipid based drug delivery systems improve the bioavailability of anticancer drugs and limit their side effects.