Nanotechnology: The future for cancer treatment

Abstract

Nanotechnology, which is defined as the science behind the structures within the size range of 1-100 nm, potentially holds the key to treat several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases and cancer. Nanoscale structures can provide promising tools for various applications in nanomedicine including those in drug delivery of therapeutics and imaging. Present-day cancer treatments suffer from severe side effects and lack specificity, thus affecting healthy cells. Nanoparticles, however, can preferentially accumulate only at the tumour site or can be targeted to cancer cells by surface functionalization using ligands. A major advantage of nanoparticles lies in the scope of surface modification and encapsulation of poorly soluble anticancer drug. This translates into higher therapeutic efficacy and lower toxicity for nanoparticle therapeutics. Thus, nanoparticles offer myriad potential in medical science. This chapter highlights various types of nanoparticles and targeting moieties that have potential to serve as drug carriers that can selectively target tumour cells.