Stimuli-Responsive Carriers for Delivery of Anticancer Bioactive Agents

The review describes advances in stimulus-sensitive carriers for chemotherapy of various organs, since selectivity in cytotoxicity against cancer and normal cells is a key factor in effective cancer treatment. Special attention is devoted to particle carriers composed of natural compounds, such as lipids, phospholipids, oligopeptides, and synthetic macromolecules, that are sensitive to internal or external stimuli, and delivered to targeted body tissue in a controlled manner. The stimuli discussed include the following: temperature, pH, enzymes, electromagnetic radiation, ultrasound, and redox potential. The description of stimulus-sensitive drug delivery, the methods for synthesizing polymers and copolymers, and the preparation of nano- and microparticles are briefly presented. A description of drug delivery systems (DDSs) with controlled release to specific organs, such as the breast, intestine, lung, prostate, etc., is preceded by a description of methods for preparing drug carriers. The review also covers DDSs at various stages of preclinical and clinical trials and summarizes the state of knowledge on this subject.