NANOTECHNOLOGY IN CANCER DRUG DELIVERY: INNOVATIONS AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS

Background and Objective: Traditional therapies are poorly specific and cause severe side effects and reduced efficacy in cancer treatment. Engineered nanocarriers for drug delivery are promising solutions provided by nanotechnology that can enhance the precision of drug delivery, reduce toxicity, and improve therapeutic outcomes. In this review, recent advances and clinical applications of nanotechnology for cancer drug delivery are explored. Materials and Methods: Databases like PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were used for a systematic review of the literature. Studies published from 2014-2024 were included based on the criteria of nanocarriers' design, targeting strategies, and clinical evaluations. Preclinical, in vitro, and clinical studies were assessed for quality using standardized tools like the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and ARRIVE guidelines. Statistical analysis, performed using one-way ANOVA, validated significant findings with p-values <0.05. Results: The review of 58 studies highlighted the dominance of liposomal nanocarriers (40%) and polymeric nanoparticles (19%). Tumor drug accumulation increased 2.5-fold and systemic toxicity was reduced by 40% with liposomal formulations. Dual drug delivery systems using polymeric nanoparticles exhibited a 60% improvement in tumor suppression. Gold nanoparticles showed 85% tumor ablation in clinical trials, while antibody-functionalized nanocarriers increased specificity by a factor of three. Statistical analysis confirmed the efficacy of nanocarrier-based systems, with consistent p-values <0.05 when compared to conventional therapies. Active targeting strategies with ligands and antibodies improved tumor-to-normal tissue ratios, whereas passive targeting through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect increased tumor drug accumulation by 20–30%. Conclusion: Nanotechnology offers transformative potential in cancer therapy, enabling targeted, efficient, and safer drug delivery. Challenges to clinical translation should be addressed in future research by expanded trials, stimuli–responsive designs, and standardized protocols.