Emerging Nanoparticle Platforms in Lung Cancer Treatment: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Strategies, and Future Perspectives

Introduction: Lung cancer stands as the leading cause of death caused by cancer worldwide, and the conventional treatment approach of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy is limited by toxicity, low specificity, and resistance to treatment. New treatment protocols are needed to address such issues. Methods: A review was also carried out on recent developments in types of nanoparticles: lipid-based, polymeric, inorganic, and hybrid, as well as on types of modalities: passive, active, and modalities of stimuli responsiveness. The analysis was mainly centered on the publications from 2020 to 2025, as the aim was to keep the review consistent during interpretation and analysis. Results: Drug delivery systems based on nanoparticles are associated with improved bioavailability, improved tumor-specific accumulation through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, active targeting through ligand-mediated endocytosis, and regulated drug delivery. It has been clinically tested with a better therapeutic effect and reduced systemic toxicity. Biomimetic and theranostic nanoparticles, gene delivery, and AI-guided design should be developed, but there is still a problem of manufacturing and nanotoxicology. Discussion: Nanotechnology provides the groundbreaking advantages to surpass the inherent shortcomings of traditional approaches to lung cancer by facilitating personalized, targeted functioning, and multitasking therapies. Though promising, challenges pertaining to quality mass-scale production, regulatory acquisition, and their long-term safety need to be tackled with the assistance of multidisciplinary studies. Conclusion: Targeted therapy using nanoparticles (NPs) has made it a prospect of improving its clinical course in addition to decreasing its depressive actions because it is one of the promising treatments of lung cancer. Further innovation and extensive assessment are required in order to optimize the clinical translation and implementation of these methods into mainstream medical care.