Protein-Based Nanomaterials for Cancer Therapy: A Comparative and Translational Perspective

Over the past decade, the use of nanomaterials and nanomedical devices has been increasingly explored for cancer treatment. Although the outcomes of conventional therapies have improved patient survival, these approaches still present important limitations for some types of cancer and metastasis. Challenges such as poor drug accumulation in solid tumors and lack of specificity and selectivity can be addressed through alternative nanomedicine-based treatments. Among the wide range of nanoplatforms whose composition and shape have been designed for cancer treatment, this review focuses specifically on those based on natural proteins, including advanced carriers and engineered proteins bearing active targeting and/or therapeutic agents. The objective of this review is to provide a comparative and translational analysis of protein-based nanomaterials for cancer therapy, highlighting their unique characteristics, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and the ability to integrate bioactive peptides that can trigger or respond to tumor-specific or altered physiological stimuli. Several protein-based nanomedical devices have been developed for theranostic applications, demonstrating enhanced performance in tumor imaging and cancer treatment. This review introduces a structured analytical framework that classifies protein-based nanomaterials according to their biological origin, functional design, and clinical readiness, enabling systematic evaluation across platforms. Rather than providing a descriptive overview, this work offers a structured comparative analysis of protein-based nanomaterials, highlighting design trade-offs, translational challenges, and factors influencing clinical applicability.