Publications

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, posing significant challenges to conventional therapeutic approaches due to poor targeting, systemic toxicity, and multidrug resistance. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems (NDDSs) have emerged as a revolutionary strategy in oncological treatment, offering improved drug bioavailability, enhanced tumor targeting, and reduced off-target effects. These nanoscale carriers such as liposomes, dendrimers, polymeric nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, and lipid-based systems are engineered to optimize the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of chemotherapeutic agents. By exploiting passive and active targeting mechanisms, NDDSs facilitate preferential accumulation in tumor tissues via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect and ligand-receptor mediated interactions. Moreover, functionalization with ligands like antibodies, peptides, or aptamers further augments their specificity and uptake by cancer cells. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the types of nanoparticles employed in cancer therapy, design considerations for targeted delivery, recent advancements in stimuli-responsive and multifunctional NDDSs, and the translational challenges impeding clinical adoption. Emphasis is also placed on FDA-approved nanoformulations, emerging preclinical data, and prospects for personalized nanomedicine in oncology. Ultimately, NDDSs represent a promising frontier in improving cancer therapeutic outcomes while minimizing toxicity and enhancing patient quality of life. Keywords: Nanoparticles, Targeted Drug Delivery, Cancer Therapy, Tumor Targeting, Drug Toxicity Reduction