Prospects and Challenges of Chitosan-Based Drug Carriers for Anticancer Agents’ Delivery Against Lung Cancer: A Review

Yan Liu,1,* Baolian Yang,2,* Hao Chen,1 Yumei Liao,3 Shiyu Zhang,3 Jianqiong Yang,4 Weiliang Chen,1 Hai Liu1 1Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Manufacturing Laboratory, Ganzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ganzhou, 341000, People’s Republic of China; 3Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, People’s Republic of China; 4Ganzhou Key Laboratory of Antitumor Effects of Natural Products, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Weiliang Chen; Hai Liu, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality and morbidity worldwide. Despite significant advancements in diagnostic techniques and therapeutic modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, there is an urgent need for innovative therapeutic approaches due to severe adverse reactions, escalating multidrug resistance, an increased risk of tumor recurrence, and the complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems have emerged as a novel strategy for lung cancer treatment by enhancing drug targeting, reducing toxic side effects, and improving bioavailability. Chitosan (CS) has emerged as a promising candidate material for anticancer drug delivery carriers due to its unique physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. This review summarizes recent research progress on CS nanocarriers for lung cancer treatment and elucidates their challenges and future prospects for clinical transformation.Keywords: chitosan, lung cancer, nanocarriers, drug delivery systems, phototherapy