Precision Cancer Nanotherapy: Evolving Role of Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Cancer Active Targeting

Nanoparticles with multifunctionality are being designed and formulated to overcome various limitations of drugs as well as conventional drug delivery systems. Engineered nanoparticles to specifically target cancer cells have the ability to reduce collateral damage on normal tissue due to pan-toxic effects of drugs. Pragmatic approaches are being in consideration to make advancement in cancer therapy as the new developed methods exhibited an improved targeted anticancer therapeutic delivery with better treatment outcomes. An effective cancer therapy requires both the passive and active targeting to successfully achieve targeted delivery. The nanoparticles can be conjugated with specific ligands, antibodies and carbohydrates for active targeting of cancer cells with great affinity and precision. This review presents some recent strategies such as immunotherapy, role of cell sex and protein corona in for targeted cancer therapy and also discusses some examples of engineered nanoparticles exploited for active cancer targeting and their limitations and associated toxicity.