Polymer Nanoparticles and Gold Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy: A Comprehensive Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33687/ricosbiol.04.03.113Keywords:
polymer nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, cancer therapy, targeted drug delivery, theranostics, photothermal therapy, clinical translation, hybrid nanosystemsAbstract
Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, driving the urgent need for more effective and less toxic therapeutic strategies. Nanoparticle‑based platforms have emerged as transformative tools in oncology, offering solutions to the limitations of conventional therapies such as systemic toxicity, poor bioavailability, and drug resistance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of two prominent classes of nanocarriers—polymer‑based nanoparticles (PNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)—in cancer therapy, with a strong focus on their applied uses and clinical translation. PNPs offer versatile drug delivery platforms with tunable physicochemical properties, high drug‑loading efficiency, and controlled release capabilities; several polymer‑based formulations are already in clinical use. AuNPs contribute unique plasmonic properties, biocompatibility, and multifunctional theranostic potential; they are being evaluated in numerous clinical trials for photothermal therapy, radiosensitization, and imaging. Furthermore, the convergence of these technologies into hybrid polymer‑gold nanosystems enables synergistic therapeutic effects, combining the targeting and delivery advantages of polymers with the diagnostic and phototherapeutic functionalities of gold. This review synthesizes recent advances in synthesis strategies, targeting mechanisms, applied clinical applications, and translational challenges, providing a framework for future research directions in precision nano‑oncology.
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This article is a review of the existing literature. No new data were generated or analyzed in support of this research. All discussed findings and references are available from the cited publications.
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