Abstract
Nanotechnology provides a variety of nanoscale tools for medicine. Among them nanoparticles are revolutionizing the field of drug delivery. These drug nanocarriers have the potential to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of a drug, since they can be engineered to modulate the release and the stability and to prolong the circulation time of a drug, protecting it from elimination by phagocytic cells or premature degradation. Moreover, nanoscale carriers can be tailored to accumulate in tumour cells and tissues, due to enhanced permeability and a retention effect or by active targeting using ligands designed to recognize tumour-associated antigens. Could these nanomedicine tools mark an end to the necessity for loco-regional drug delivery?
Footnotes
- Received July 4, 2006.
- Revision received September 26, 2006.
- Accepted October 4, 2006.
- Copyright © 2006 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved