The Convergence of Nanoscience and Stem Cells: A New Era in Cancer Therapeutics

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of global mortality, yet its treatment is frequently limited by poor drug distribution, systemic toxicity, and therapeutic resistance. Stem cells with their self-renewal capacity, lineage-specific differentiation, and intrinsic tumor-homing ability have attracted considerable attention as potential mediators of targeted cancer therapy. Concurrently, nanotechnology offers tunable physicochemical properties and advanced tissue penetration, providing versatile platforms for drug delivery, imaging, and diagnostics. The convergence of nanotechnology and stem cell biology has expanded the therapeutic landscape, enabling multifunctional strategies for targeted drug delivery, imaging, and diagnostics. This review examines the challenges of drug delivery in oncology, elucidates the biological rationale for stem cell-mediated therapies, and explores the role of nanotechnology in augmenting their potential, emphasizing how the tumor-homing capacity of stem cells can be exploited to overcome major barriers in conventional therapies. Furthermore, limitations, safety concerns, and the status of preclinical, and clinical development are discussed, with a focus on key research gaps and future directions to advance this interdisciplinary field.