Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have emerged as a transformative approach in cancer therapy, offering significant improvements in the targeted delivery and controlled release of therapeutic agents. These systems leverage the unique physicochemical properties of nanoparticles, such as their small size, large surface area, and biocompatibility, to enhance drug solubility, stability, and bioavailability while minimizing off-target effects. Among the various nanoparticle formulations, hybrid nanoparticles that combine multiple therapeutic modalities are particularly promising. By integrating diverse therapeutic agents, such as chemotherapeutics, gene therapies, and imaging agents, hybrid nanoparticles enable simultaneous treatment and real-time monitoring of cancer therapies. The combination of passive and active targeting mechanisms further enhances the precision of drug delivery, facilitating higher drug concentrations at tumor sites and reducing systemic toxicity. Despite their promising potential, challenges remain in nanoparticle synthesis, scaling, and safety evaluations. This chapter explores the design, mechanisms, and clinical applications of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for cancer therapy, with a particular focus on hybrid nanoparticles and their role in overcoming existing therapeutic barriers. Current research and future directions are discussed, providing a comprehensive outlook on the integration of advanced nanotechnology in personalized cancer treatments.
Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have emerged as one of the most promising advancements in cancer therapy, offering solutions to challenges that have long been obstacles in conventional treatment modalities [1]. Traditional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are often limited by their inability to selectively target cancer cells, leading to systemic toxicity and undesirable side effects [2]. Nanoparticles, owing to their unique physicochemical properties, offer a means to overcome these limitations by providing a targeted approach to drug delivery [3]. These nanocarriers, ranging from liposomes and dendrimers to polymeric micelles and inorganic nanoparticles, can encapsulate therapeutic agents, protecting them from degradation and ensuring that they are released at the desired site in a controlled manner [4]. By exploiting the inherent advantages of nanoparticles, including their small size, large surface area, and tunable surface properties, researchers have developed systems capable of delivering drugs more efficiently, enhancing the therapeutic index, and minimizing collateral damage to healthy tissues [5].
The design and functionality of nanoparticles have been tailored to meet the specific demands of cancer treatment [6]. One of the key advantages of nanoparticles is their ability to exploit the unique characteristics of the tumor microenvironment, including its leaky vasculature and the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect [7]. The EPR effect facilitates the passive accumulation of nanoparticles in tumors, allowing for higher local concentrations of therapeutic agents. In addition to passive targeting, nanoparticles can be further modified with specific ligands or antibodies that actively target receptors overexpressed on cancer cells, enabling more precise drug delivery [8]. The combination of passive and active targeting strategies enhances the ability of nanoparticles to selectively deliver drugs to tumor sites, improving treatment efficacy while minimizing damage to normal tissues [9]. This dual-targeting approach holds significant potential for improving the specificity and precision of cancer therapies, a critical factor in the successful treatment of solid tumors [10].
Hybrid nanoparticles represent an exciting innovation in cancer drug delivery, merging multiple therapeutic modalities within a single nanoparticle carrier [11]. These systems are designed to combine different therapeutic agents, such as chemotherapeutics, gene therapies, and immunotherapeutic agents, into one platform, enabling synergistic effects [12]. By encapsulating multiple drugs or incorporating diagnostic agents alongside therapeutics, hybrid nanoparticles offer the potential for both treatment and real-time monitoring, allowing clinicians to track the progress of therapy [13]. The integration of various treatment strategies into a single nanoparticle allows for a multifaceted attack on tumors, addressing several aspects of cancer biology, including tumor cell proliferation, immune evasion, and resistance mechanisms [14]. This approach can overcome some of the inherent limitations of monotherapy, such as drug resistance, by targeting multiple pathways simultaneously, thereby improving therapeutic outcomes and reducing the risk of relapse [15].
