Nanotechnology-Enabled Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Precision Cancer Therapy: Advances, Challenges, and Clinical Translation

The treatment of cancer is often constrained by lack of specificity of drugs used, systemic toxicity, multiple drug resistance and insufficient therapeutic effect of traditional methods of treatment. The targeted drug delivery systems that are possible with nanotechnology have become promising approaches to enhancing precision oncology by means of better targeting of the tumor, controlled release of drugs, better pharmacokinetics, and fewer adverse effects. There are several nanocarriers such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, metallic nanoparticles, and biomimetic nanoplatforms that have shown high potential in delivery of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy, photothermal therapy, and theranostic. More complex methods of targeting like ligand-mediated delivery, antibody-conjugated nanoparticles, and stimuli-responsive systems also improve therapeutic selectivity and intracellular accumulation of drugs. Although considerable advances have been achieved, nanotoxicity, biological barriers, mass production, and regulatory acceptance issues still present a hurdle to clinical translation. In the future, the application of AI-based nanomedicine, CRISPR-based delivery platforms, and customized nanotherapeutics are predicted to speed up the oncology field of precision and the development of safer and more effective cancer therapy.