Polymersome-based nanomedicine for combined cancer therapy

Cancer is a complex disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and spread, often resulting in metastasis. The use of combination therapy, which involves the simultaneous application of two or more treatment methods, aims to enhance effectiveness and improve patient outcomes. This approach can enhance efficacy by targeting multiple mechanisms of cancer progression, leading to improved tumor response rates and survival. When combination therapy utilizes a codelivery platform, it enables dose reduction of each agent, thereby reducing side effects and increasing the therapeutic index. The simultaneous delivery of two or more drugs and therapeutic agents to solid tumors remains a major challenge in the development of more effective treatments. Polymersomes, owing to their unique and beneficial properties, are increasingly viewed as promising carriers for this purpose. They provide an excellent platform for combination therapies in cancer treatment. This review summarizes polymersome-based combination therapies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, antiangiogenic therapy, magnetic hyperthermia, dynamic therapy, starvation therapy, immunotherapy, photothermal therapy (PTT), and gene therapy. It also highlights recent advances and future prospects in polymersome-based combination cancer treatments. The aim of this study was to explore the challenges and opportunities in using polymersomes as drug codelivery vehicles, thereby enhancing our understanding of nanomedicine, especially in combination cancer therapies. Polymersome-based combination therapies have the potential to significantly transform current cancer treatments by enhancing accessibility, precision, and effectiveness while minimizing off-target effects.