Nanoparticles in cancer: A highly Effective method for targeted drug delivery

Background: Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Although conventional chemotherapy remains an important component of cancer treatment, its clinical effectiveness is often limited by poor tumour selectivity, systemic toxicity, multidrug resistance, and adverse effects. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have emerged as promising approaches for improving the targeted delivery of anticancer agents while reducing exposure of healthy tissues. Objective: This review provides an overview of nanoparticle-based targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy, with emphasis on passive and active targeting mechanisms, major nanoparticle platforms, therapeutic applications, current challenges, and prospects for clinical translation. Findings: Nanoparticle systems including liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, solid lipid nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, iron oxide nanoparticles, quantum dots, and carbon dots demonstrate potential for improving drug delivery, cellular uptake, imaging, and combined therapeutic approaches. Passive targeting is largely associated with the enhanced permeability and retention effect, whereas active targeting uses ligands to facilitate receptor-mediated cellular uptake. However, variations in tumour biology, nanoparticle properties, toxicity, manufacturing, and regulatory requirements remain important barriers to clinical translation. Keywords: Nanoparticles; Targeted Drug Delivery; Cancer Therapy; Nanomedicine; Tumor Targeting; Liposomes; Polymeric Nanoparticles; Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) Effect