Poly (amidoamine) Dendrimers in Cancer Therapy: Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy and Imaging Advances

Cancer is estimated to overtake cardiovascular diseases and take the top spot as the leading and most important cause of mortality globally in the near future.Given the importance of early diagnosis to reduce mortality, many efforts have been made to discover a theranostic system for simultaneous cancer diagnosis and treatment.So far, the use of nanotechnology has greatly contributed to the improvement and development of these systems.Meanwhile, dendrimer nanoparticles have attracted considerable attention in medical research due to their unique properties.Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers have become the primary category of dendrimers and have been widely studied for their possible application in cancer treatments.These nanoparticles have features including interior cavities and peripheral functional groups that allow the encapsulation of diverse medications or diagnostic agents.As a result, these particles can function as efficient nanocarriers and vectors for medical applications.This capability allows for the resolution of the obstacles presented by the tumor microenvironment.The prospective use of multifunctional PAMAM holds promise in enabling thorough monitoring of different stages of treated cancer tissue, hence providing substantial support in the early detection and prediction of tumor response.The primary focus of this study will be to investigate the most recent developments of PAMAM dendrimers in the field of cancer theranostics.The employment of NPs in anticancer medicine administration for radiation treatment, chemotherapy, and diagnostic imaging is underscored due to its significant potential.