Advances in the field of nanooncology

Nanooncology, the application of nanobiotechnology to the management of cancer, is currently the most important chapter of nanomedicine. Nanobiotechnology has refined and extended the limits of molecular diagnosis of cancer, for example, through the use of gold nanoparticles and quantum dots. Nanobiotechnology has also improved the discovery of cancer biomarkers, one such example being the sensitive detection of multiple protein biomarkers by nanobiosensors. Magnetic nanoparticles can capture circulating tumor cells in the bloodstream followed by rapid photoacoustic detection. Nanoparticles enable targeted drug delivery in cancer that increases efficacy and decreases adverse effects through reducing the dosage of anticancer drugs administered. Nanoparticulate anticancer drugs can cross some of the biological barriers and achieve therapeutic concentrations in tumor and spare the surrounding normal tissues from toxic effects. Nanoparticle constructs facilitate the delivery of various forms of energy for noninvasive thermal destruction of surgically inaccessible malignant tumors. Nanoparticle-based optical imaging of tumors as well as contrast agents to enhance detection of tumors by magnetic resonance imaging can be combined with delivery of therapeutic agents for cancer. Monoclonal antibody nanoparticle complexes are under investigation for diagnosis as well as targeted delivery of cancer therapy. Nanoparticle-based chemotherapeutic agents are already on the market, and several are in clinical trials. Personalization of cancer therapies is based on a better understanding of the disease at the molecular level, which is facilitated by nanobiotechnology. Nanobiotechnology will facilitate the combination of diagnostics with therapeutics, which is an important feature of a personalized medicine approach to cancer

Phospholipid micelle-based magneto-plasmonic nanoformulation for magnetic field-directed, imaging-guided photo-induced cancer therapy

We present a magnetoplasmonic nanoplatform combining gold nanorods (GNR) and iron-oxide nanoparticles within phospholipid-based polymeric nanomicelles (PGRFe). The gold nanorods exhibit plasmon resonance absorbance at near infrared wavelengths to enable photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy, while the Fe3O4 nanoparticles enable magnetophoretic control of the nanoformulation. The fabricated nanoformulation can be directed and concentrated by an external magnetic field, which provides enhancement of a photoacoustic signal. Application of an external field also leads to enhanced uptake of the magnetoplasmonic formulation by cancer cells in vitro. Under laser irradiation at the wavelength of the GNR absorption peak, the PGRFe formulation efficiently generates plasmonic nanobubbles within cancer cells, as visualized by confocal microscopy, causing cell destruction. The combined magnetic and plasmonic functionalities of the nanoplatform enable magnetic field-directed, imaging-guided, enhanced photo-induced cancer therapy. From the Clinical Editor: In this study, a nano-formulation of gold nanorods and iron oxide nanoparticles is presented using a phospholipid micelle-based delivery system for magnetic field-directed and imaging-guided photo-induced cancer therapy. The gold nanorods enable photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy, while the Fe3O4 nanoparticles enable magnetophoretic control of the formulation. This and similar systems could enable more precise and efficient cancer therapy, hopefully in the near future, after additional testing. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.X111720sciescopu

Photodynamic therapy for cancer: principles, clinical applications and nano technological approaches

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically approved, minimally invasive procedure that can exert a cytotoxic activity toward malignant cells. The procedure involves administration of a photosensitizer (PS) followed by irradiation with light at wavelengths within of the PS absorption band. In the presence of oxygen, a series of events lead to direct tumor cell death, damage to the microvasculature, and induction of a local inflammatory reaction. Clinical studies reveal that PDT can be curative, particularly in early stage tumors, can prolong survival in patients with inoperable cancers, and can significantly improve quality of life. Unfortunately, most PS lack specificity for tumor cells and this can result in undesirable side effects in healthy tissues. Furthermore, due to their mostly planar structure, PS form aggregates with low photoactivity in an aqueous environment. Nanotechnology offers a great opportunity in PDT based on the concept that a nanocarrier can drive therapeutic concentrations of PS to the tumor cells without generating any harmful effect in vivo. Currently, several nanoscale carriers made of different materials such as lipids, polymers, metals, and inorganic materials have been proposed in nano-PDT. Each type of system highlights pros and cons and should be selected on the basis of delivery requirements. In the following, we describe the principle of PDT and its application in the treatment of cancer. Then, we illustrate the main systems proposed for nano-PDT that demonstrated potential in preclinical models together with emerging concepts for their advanced design