Journal Article

Nanotechnology-Driven Cancer Therapies for Precision Oncology: Advances and Clinical Outlook

Webster, Thomas, Tanwar, Rajni, Gupta, Sonia, Jaiswal, Nicky, Singh, Shivani, Gowri, S, Kumar, Dinesh, Choudhary, Niraj, Faiyazuddin, Md, Gupta, Vrinda, Islam, Md Moidul

2026

Overview

Cancer continues to pose a global health challenge, with conventional therapies often limited by non-specific toxicity, drug resistance, and an inadequate therapeutic index. Nanotechnology offers transformative opportunities by enabling targeted drug delivery, improved pharmacokinetics, and integrated diagnostic-therapeutic platforms (termed nanotheranostics). This review highlights key nanocarrier systems including liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, inorganic nanostructures, carbon-based materials, extracellular vesicles, and hybrid platforms with a focus on human studies and clinical translation. Design strategies (such as passive and active tumor targeting, biomimicry, and stimuli-responsive release mechanisms) are discussed in the context of improving tumor selectivity and minimizing systemic toxicity. Recent innovations, including AI-supported nanomedicine design, smart nanorobots, and cell-mediated delivery systems, are also examined. Although multiple nano-formulations such as Doxil®, Abraxane®, and Vyxeos® have reached clinical use, challenges remain including large-scale manufacturing, regulatory pathways, long-term safety evaluation, and cost-effective global accessibility. This review provides a critical appraisal of current evidence, translational bottlenecks, and emerging opportunities to guide future nanomedicine development. Nanotechnology is poised to become a cornerstone of precision oncology, enabling personalized, safe, and effective cancer treatment paradigms.

• Publisher: Dove Medical Press Limited,Dove Press,Dove Medical Press
• Subject: Animals / Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage / Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use / Biomimetics / Cancer / Cancer immunotherapy / Care and treatment / Dendrimers / Drug delivery / Drug delivery systems / Drug Delivery Systems - methods / Drug resistance / Drugs / Health aspects / Humans / Immunotherapy / Liposomes - chemistry / Nanocarriers / Nanomedicine - methods / Nanoparticles - chemistry / Nanotechnology / Nanotheranostics / Neoplasms - drug therapy / Neoplasms - therapy / Oncology / Precision medicine / Precision Medicine - methods / Review / Theranostic Nanomedicine - methods / Vehicles / Vincristine / World health