Theranostic Applications of Tailored Lipid-based Nanoparticles as Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer Treatment

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and researchers across the globe are striving to develop more effective and targeted treatment strategies. Conventional cancer therapies face major limitations, including poor tumor specificity, systemic toxicity, and limited therapeutic outcomes. Lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as versatile carriers that address these challenges by improving drug solubility, stability, biodistribution, and tumor accumulation through both passive and active targeting mechanisms. Beyond drug delivery, LNPs are increasingly engineered as theranostic platforms, integrating therapeutic payloads with imaging agents for real-time monitoring, image-guided therapy, and improved treatment precision. This narrative review critically summarizes advances in liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, and hybrid systems across diverse cancer types, highlighting key preclinical and clinical findings. We further discuss challenges such as stability, immunogenicity, large-scale manufacturing, and regulatory barriers. Finally, we outline future perspectives on LNPs, including their integration with immunotherapy, gene editing, and AI-assisted design, emphasizing their potential in advancing personalized nanomedicine.