The Role of Nanoparticles in Therapy of Real-World Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Scoping Review

Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest malignancies, largely due to its aggressive biology, late diagnosis, and the presence of a dense tumor stroma that hampers effective drug delivery. Nanoparticle-based therapies offer a promising solution by enabling targeted delivery, enhancing chemotherapy’s bioavailability, and modulating the tumor microenvironment to reduce systemic toxicity. This review evaluated real-world clinical evidence on nanoparticle-based therapies in pancreatic cancer through a scoping review approach guided by the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews. A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and Embase on 2 April 2025, which identified 2144 records. Utilizing the PICOTS framework and the pre-set eligibility criteria, studies were independently screened by two reviewers, ultimately including 19 studies published between 2006 and 2023. Clinical evidence indicates that nanoparticle-based therapies, particularly with agents such as nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel and nanoliposomal irinotecan, can improve survival outcomes and reduce toxicity compared with conventional treatments. Nonetheless, challenges remain in dosing optimization, biomarker-driven patient selection, and ensuring long-term safety. Overall, nanoparticle-based approaches show promising potential to be integrated into standard treatment regimens within the coming decade, warranting further clinical investigation to ultimately benefit broader patient populations worldwide.