Paper
12 September 2011 Nanotechnology in cancer treatment
Maria Mironidou-Tzouveleki M.D., Konstantinos Imprialos, Athanasios Kintsakis
Author Affiliations +
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current evolutions on nanotechnology and its applications on cancer theragnostics.Rapid advances and emerging technologies in nanotechnology are having a profound impact on cancer treatment. Applications of nanotechnology, which include liposomes, nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, nanocantilever, carbon nanotubes and quantum dots have significantly revolutionized cancer theragnostics. From a pharmaceutical viewpoint, it is critical that the biodistribution of active agents has to be controlled as much as possible. This aspect is vital in order to assure the proper efficiency and safety of the anticancer agents. These biocompatible nanocomposites provide specific biochemical interactions with receptors expressed on the surface of cancer cells. With passive or active targeting strategies, an increased intracellular concentration of drugs can be achieved in cancer cells , while normal cells are being protected from the drug simultaneously. Thus, nanotechnology restricts the extent of the adverse effects of the anticancer therapy. Treatment for metastatic breast cancer, sarcoma in AIDS patients, ovarian and lung cancer is already on market or under final phases of many clinical trials, showing remarkable results. As nanotechnology is perfected, side effects due to normal cell damage will decrease, leading to better results and lengthening patient's survival.
© (2011) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Maria Mironidou-Tzouveleki M.D., Konstantinos Imprialos, and Athanasios Kintsakis "Nanotechnology in cancer treatment", Proc. SPIE 8099, Biosensing and Nanomedicine IV, 809917 (12 September 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.898643
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KEYWORDS
Cancer

Nanotechnology

Tumors

Quantum dots

Oncology

Nanoparticles

Tissues

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