Nanotechnology in the face of cancer

Oncology is one of the most rapidly developing fields in medicinal studies, however, it still cannot provide therapies that are efficient enough in neoplasms. As both morbidity and mortality of cancerous diseases increase annually, it is necessary to improve diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. One of the most promising areas is nanomedicine. The aim of the study is to review current therapeutic and diagnostic methods that involve nanotechnology. Methods Materials shared by the National Cancer Institute and research articles available in the PubMed database, that were searched by keywords “nanoparticle” and “cancer”, were analyzed. Additionally, a search of clinical randomized trials was refined to a period over the last 5 years. Results: Over the last 5 years, studies on the use of nanoparticles in the treatment of breast cancer, thyroid cancer, pancreatic cancer, non-small cellular lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, soft tissue sarcoma, cervical cancer, and renal cell carcinoma, as well as in the diagnostics of the metastases of colorectal, thyroid and gastric cancer, were conducted. In cancer therapy, the use of nanoparticles as carriers of chemotherapeutics shows similar efficacy compared to conventional treatment. Moreover, some studies report a lower incidence of adverse effects. In the studies on diagnostic application of nanoparticles, they were used as markers, which allowed for greater accuracy in identification and monitoring of metastases. As a result, it was possible to remove more tumor lesions during a single surgery session. Conclusions: Reports of the effects of the use of nanotechnology as a tool for simultaneous detection, treatment and monitoring of the disease are promising, yet it is necessary to overcome limitations such as high production costs and long-term instability of the particles, as well as to examine the systemic response to nanoparticles and the adverse effects of their application.