Next-generation nanocarriers for synergistic Chemoimmunotherapy: engineering the tumor microenvironment for precision cancer treatment

Chemoimmunotherapy has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer treatment by combining the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy with the durable immune activation achieved through immunotherapy. However, clinical translation remains limited by poor tumor targeting, systemic toxicity, heterogeneous tumor microenvironments, and inadequate immune activation. Nanocarrier-based delivery systems have recently gained considerable attention because they enable co-delivery of chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic agents, controlled drug release, enhanced tumor accumulation, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. This review summarizes the recent advances in lipid-, polymer-, inorganic-, and biomimetic nanocarriers for synergistic Chemoimmunotherapy. The review also discusses emerging delivery platforms including metal-organic frameworks, extracellular vesicles, stimuli-responsive systems, tumor accumulation mechanisms, current clinical progress, and future translational challenges.