Polymeric Nanoparticles: Innovative and Promising Tools for Enhanced Cancer Drug Delivery Systems

Cancers characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation and metastasis remain a major public health challenge worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, the increasing incidence necessitates comprehensive strategies for prevention, early detection, and effective treatment. Drug resistance, often driven by genetic mutations leading to multidrug resistance, remains a major clinical obstacle. The innovative delivery systems such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, and exosomes are required to improve therapeutic efficacy. In this review, data from reputable databases and scientific sources such as Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and others, are critically compiled and analyzed. Strict inclusion criteria for peerreviewed studies on polymeric nanoparticles in cancer therapy are applied, covering in vitro, in vivo, and clinical applications, while non-English-language, incomplete, or methodologically weak studies are excluded. Biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles such as PLGA, chitosan, and PCL have been shown to improve anticancer drug delivery by enabling precise targeting, reducing systemic toxicity, and overcoming multidrug resistance, with consistent therapeutic benefits observed in all studies. Despite these advances, challenges such as biocompatibility, toxicity, controlled release, tumor heterogeneity, long-term safety, and regulatory hurdles remain unresolved. Overall, nanoparticles represent a promising approach to cancer therapy as they improve drug delivery and minimize side effects, but sustained research and interdisciplinary collaboration are essential to fully exploit their potential in oncology.