Nanoparticles and drug delivery for chemoprevention in cancers

Cancer is a major global issue that is responsible for morbidity and mortality all over the world. Radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy are categorized into traditional cancer treatment methods that cause systemic toxicity and limited efficacy due to the effect of non-specific drug delivery. As a result, various side effects compromise a patient’s quality of life. So, for the treatment of cancer, many innovative approaches are required that can enhance therapeutic outcomes and result in fewer adverse effects. Nanotechnology addresses such challenges and provides a promising avenue for treating cancer. Engineered nanoparticles offer a platform for targeted drug delivery, that enhances therapeutic efficacy and shows minimum adverse effects. In this way, researchers have now developed strategies to improve cancer chemoprevention. This review demonstrates the application of various nanoparticles in cancer chemoprevention and focuses on their mechanisms of action, advantages, and novel research advancements. In cancer chemoprevention, the mechanisms of action of nanoparticles are diverse and are dependent on targeted cancer and particular nanoparticle types. Nanoparticles can inhibit tumor cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and cause tumor cell differentiation. They can promote an immune response against tumor cells causing the effective anti-tumor effect. Researchers are developing various novel nanoparticle platforms having improved targeting efficiency, biocompatibility, and drug release kinetics. Furthermore, researchers are also trying to combine nanoparticles with other therapeutic applications such as immunotherapy, to get synergistic anti-tumor effects.