Nanotechnology Applications in Lung Cancer Therapy
Summary
Nanotechnology has ushered in a new era for lung cancer management by enabling the development of nanoscale platforms that deliver therapeutic agents with high precision and reduced off-target toxicity. These platforms include liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, metallic nanocarriers and hybrid constructs, each engineered to exploit the enhanced permeability and retention effect in tumours or to engage specific cellular receptors. Stimuli-responsive materials release their payload in response to local changes in pH, temperature or redox potential, while active targeting strategies use surface ligands to improve tumour cell uptake. Beyond chemotherapy, nanotechnology supports immunotherapy by co-delivering antigens and adjuvants, enhances radiotherapy through radio-sensitising agents and contributes to theranostics by integrating imaging and treatment functions. Advances in formulation stability, biocompatibility and scalable manufacture have paved the way for clinical translation. Ongoing research focuses on overcoming biological barriers, refining biodistribution and ensuring safety, with the ultimate goal of personalised and minimally invasive lung cancer care.
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Nanotechnology Applications in Lung Cancer Therapy publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanotechnology applications in lung cancer therapy across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Nanocarrier: A nanoscale vehicle engineered to transport therapeutic or diagnostic agents to specific tissues.
Liposome: A spherical vesicle composed of lipid bilayers used to encapsulate and protect drugs within the body.
Stimuli-responsive nanoparticle: A nanomaterial designed to alter its structure or release cargo in response to environmental triggers, such as pH or temperature.
Theranostics: An integrated approach that combines therapeutic and diagnostic functions within a single nanoplatform.
Active targeting: The functionalisation of nanocarriers with ligands to bind selectively to receptors expressed on tumour cells.
References
- Nanomedicine-based adjuvant therapy: a promising solution for lung cancer. Journal of Nanobiotechnology (2023).
- New strategies for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment: applications and advances in nanotechnology. Biomarker Research (2024).
- Recent Progress in the Theranostics Application of Nanomedicine in Lung Cancer. Cancers (2019).
- Smart Nanotherapeutics and Lung Cancer. Pharmaceutics (2021).
- Nanoparticles advanced from preclinical studies to clinical trials for lung cancer therapy. Cancer Nanotechnology (2023).
- Bio-Nanocarriers for Lung Cancer Management: Befriending the Barriers. Nano-Micro Letters (2021).
- Nanomedicine in Lung Cancer Immunotherapy. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (2023).
- Radiotherapy-induced enrichment of EGF-modified doxorubicin nanoparticles enhances the therapeutic outcome of lung cancer. Drug Delivery (2022).
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