Zinc oxide nanoparticles as emerging modulators of ferroptosis in cancer therapy

Recent progress in cancer treatment have reported the therapeutic benefits of combining ferroptosis with nanotechnology-based approaches. Among the diverse nanomaterials explored zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have gained significant interest for their potential roles in cancer therapy and various biomedical applications. These NPs have demonstrated notable anticancer properties particularly through their ability to trigger ferroptosis- an iron-dependent form of cell death driven by reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this review, we provide a detailed evaluation of existing studies on the therapeutic use of ZnO NPs in cancer. The review also explores their integration with both established and novel therapeutic pathways, providing insights into potential future research directions. Furthermore, we emphasize how ZnO NPs can be integrated into nanomedicine to enhance the efficacy of conventional anticancer therapies.