Lipid Based Nano Carriers in Cancer Therapy

Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, and conventional therapies often face limitations such as nonspecificity, systemic toxicity, and multidrug resistance. Lipid-based nanocarriers have emerged as a promising strategy for targeted cancer therapy due to their biocompatibility, ability to encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, and potential for surface modification to enhance targeting. This review highlights various types of lipid-based nanocarriers, including liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanostructured lipid carriers, focusing on their design, mechanisms of targeting, and therapeutic applications. Emphasis is placed on advances in active and passive targeting approaches, current clinical status, and the challenges that need to be addressed for successful translation into clinical practice. The integration of lipid-based nanocarriers with emerging technologies such as stimuli-responsive systems and personalized medicine holds great potential to revolutionize cancer treatment.