The Role of Nanotechnology in Cancer Therapy

 It’s not a new thing to mention that cancer is one of the leading causes of global deaths. Despite the research, treating patients with cancer is still an uphill battle. At present, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are two primary treatments suggested by healthcare professionals to destroy uncontrolled cell division. Although these treatment measures prove beneficial in countless cases, they also destroy healthy body cells and cancer cells. This eventually results in non-specific actions, including weakness, anemia, and loss of hair. 

Since tumors’ pathological features are responsible for reducing the efficiency of standard cancer treatments, researchers are looking forward to RNA nanotechnology these days. The characteristics of nanoparticles, including smaller size and increased conjugate absorption, benefit the nanoscale vehicles, including magnetic nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, nanoshells, and dendrimers.
The multifunctional characteristics of nanoparticles are extremely helpful in targeted drug delivery. Unlike conventional anticancer drugs, target drug deliveries only affect cancer cells and spare the normal cells of the body, and therefore, cause no significant side effects. Nanoparticles effectively carry ligands attached to the outer surface without affecting the immune system and targeting tumor cells. This considerably decreases the toxic effects of drugs on other tissues and incredibly increases the effectiveness of cancer treatment. 

RNA nanotechnology platform is a new ray of hope for researchers because nanotechnology senses tumor’s pathophysiological defects, locates the presence of cancer cells, and kills the tumor by transporting the therapeutic drugs. Nanoparticles responsible for carrying drugs respond to external triggers; they document the response of tumor cells, identify the tumor location, and release the anticancer drugs, depending on the characteristics of cancer cells. 

At present, various nano vehicles, including polymer nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, gold nanoparticles, and liposomes, are proven to be beneficial for anticancer therapy. Their unique ability, such as efficient access to the location of targeted cancer cells, help treat and kill tumor cells. They also efficiently carry therapeutic drugs,  penetrate the leaky vasculatures, and deliver drugs effectively at selective locations, without affecting the surrounding normal cells. Despite the effectiveness of nanotechnology in cancer treatment, the infusion of nanoparticles in the human body is still a matter of safety concern among researchers.