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This paper aimed to evaluate the biological damages towards diseased cells caused by the use of MgO nanoparticles (NPs). The NPs are produced by a calcination process of a precursor, which is an aqueous suspension of nanostructured Mg(OH)2, in turn synthesized following our original, time-energy saving and scalable method able to guarantee short times, high yield of production (up to almost 10 kg/week of NPs), low environmental impact and low energy demand. The MgO NPs, in the form of dry powders, are organized as a network of intercrystallite channels, in turn constituted by monodispersed and roughly spherical NPs < 10 nm, preserving the original pseudo hexagonal-platelet morphology of the precursor. The produced MgO powders are diluted in a PBS solution to obtain different MgO suspension concentrations that are subsequently put in contact, for 3 days, with melanoma and healthy cells. The viable count, made at 24, 48 and 72 h from the beginning of the test, reveals a good cytotoxic activity of the NPs, already at low MgO concentrations. This is particularly marked after 72 h, showing a clear reduction in cellular proliferation in a MgO-concentration-dependent manner. Finally, the results obtained on human skin fibroblasts revealed that the use MgO NPs did not alter at all both the vitality and proliferation of healthy cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in nanomedicine have led to the introduction and subsequent establishment of nanoparticles in cancer treatment and diagnosis. Nonetheless, their application is still hindered by a series of challenges related to their biocompatibility and biodistribution. In this paper, we take inspiration from the recently produced and widely spread COVID vaccines, based on the combinational use of ionizable solid lipid nanoparticles, cholesterol, PEGylated lipids, and neutral lipids able to incorporate mRNA fragments. Here, we focus on the implementation of a lipidic formulation meant to be used as a smart coating of solid-state nanoparticles. The composition of this formulation is finely tuned to ensure efficient and stable shielding of the cargo. The resulting shell is a highly customized tool that enables the possibility of further functionalizations with targeting agents, peptides, antibodies, and fluorescent moieties for future in vitro and in vivo tests and validations. Finally, as a proof of concept, zinc oxide nanoparticles doped with iron and successively coated with this lipidic formulation are tested in a pancreatic cancer cell line, BxPC-3. The results show an astonishing increase in cell viability with respect to the same uncoated nanoparticles. The preliminary results presented here pave the way towards many different therapeutic approaches based on the massive presence of highly biostable and well-tolerated nanoparticles in tumor tissues, such as sonodynamic therapy, photodynamic therapy, hyperthermia, and diagnosis by means of magnetic resonance imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are heralded as potential nanoplatforms for biomedical applications. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), as one of the most well known MOFs, has been widely applied as a drug delivery carrier for cancer therapy. However, the application of ZIF-8 nanoparticles as a therapeutic agent has been hindered by the challenge of how to control the release behaviour of anti-cancer zinc ions to cancer cells. In this paper, we designed microfluidic-assisted core-shell ZIF-8 nanoparticles modified with silk fibroin (SF) and polydopamine (PDA) for sustained release of zinc ions and curcumin (CUR) and tested these in vitro in various human breast cancer cells. We report that microfluidic rapid mixing is an efficient method to precisely control the proportion of ZIF-8, SF, PDA, and CUR in the nanoparticles by simply adjusting total flow rates (from 1 to 50 mL/min) and flow rate ratios. Owing to sufficient and rapid mixing during microfluidic-assisted nanoprecipitation, our designer CUR@ZIF-SF-PDA nanoparticles had a desired particle size of 170 nm with a narrow size distribution (PDI: 0.08), which is much smaller than nanoparticles produced using traditional magnetic stirrer mixing method (over 1000 nm). Moreover, a properly coated SF layer successfully enhanced the capability of ZIF-8 as a reservoir of zinc ions. Meanwhile, the self-etching reaction between ZIF-8 and PDA naturally induced a pH-responsive release of zinc ions and CUR to a therapeutic level in the MDA-MB-231, SK-BR-3, and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines, resulting in a high cellular uptake efficiency, cytotoxicity, and cell cycle arrest. More importantly, the high biocompatibility of designed CUR@ZIF-SF-PDA nanoparticles remained low in cytotoxicity on AD-293 non-cancer cells. We demonstrate the potential of prepared CUR@ZIF-SF-PDA nanoparticles as promising carriers for the controlled release of CUR and zinc ions in breast cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a fatal disease with a complex pathophysiology. Lack of specificity and cytotoxicity, as well as the multidrug resistance of traditional cancer chemotherapy, are the most common limitations that often cause treatment failure. Thus, in recent years, significant efforts have concentrated on the development of a modernistic field called nano-oncology, which provides the possibility of using nanoparticles (NPs) with the aim to detect, target, and treat cancer diseases. In comparison with conventional anticancer strategies, NPs provide a targeted approach, preventing undesirable side effects. What is more, nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have shown good pharmacokinetics and precise targeting, as well as reduced multidrug resistance. It has been documented that, in cancer cells, NPs promote reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, activate ER (endoplasmic reticulum) stress, modulate various signaling pathways, etc. Furthermore, their ability to inhibit tumor growth in vivo has also been documented. In this paper, we have reviewed the role of silver NPs (AgNPs) in cancer nanomedicine, discussing numerous mechanisms by which they render anticancer properties under both in vitro and in vivo conditions, as well as their potential in the diagnosis of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is the leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease. Despite significant advances in cancer research over the past few decades, it is almost impossible to cure end-stage cancer patients and bring them to remission. Adverse effects of chemotherapy are mainly caused by the accumulation of chemotherapeutic agents in normal tissues, and drug resistance hinders the potential therapeutic effects and curing of this disease. New drug formulations need to be developed to overcome these problems and increase the therapeutic index of chemotherapeutics. As a chemotherapeutic delivery platform, three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds are an up-and-coming option because they can respond to biological factors, modify their properties accordingly, and promote site-specific chemotherapeutic deliveries in a sustainable and controlled release manner. This review paper focuses on the features and applications of the variety of 3D scaffold-based nano-delivery systems that could be used to improve local cancer therapy by selectively delivering chemotherapeutics to the target sites in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encompassing a group of complex and heterogeneous diseases, cancer continues to be a challenge for patients and healthcare systems worldwide. Thus, it is of vital importance to develop advanced treatment strategies that could reduce the trends of cancer-associated morbidity and mortality rates. Scientists have focused on creating performant delivery vehicles for anti-cancer agents. Among the possible materials, cyclodextrins (CDs) attracted increasing interest over the past few years, leading to the emergence of promising anti-tumor nanomedicines. Tackling their advantageous chemical structure, ease of modification, natural origin, biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and commercial availability, researchers investigated CD-based therapeutical formulations against many types of cancer. In this respect, in this paper, we briefly present the properties of interest of CDs for designing performant nanocarriers, further reviewing some of the most recent potential applications of CD-based delivery systems in cancer management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinically, cancer drug resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy remains the main impediment towards curative cancer therapy, which leads directly to treatment failure along with extended hospital stays, increased medical costs and high mortality. Therefore, increasing attention has been paid to nanotechnology-based delivery systems for overcoming drug resistance in cancer. In this respect, novel tumor-targeting nanomedicines offer fairly effective therapeutic strategies for surmounting the various limitations of chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, enabling more precise cancer treatment, more convenient monitoring of treatment agents, as well as surmounting cancer drug resistance, including multidrug resistance (MDR). Nanotechnology-based delivery systems, including liposomes, polymer micelles, nanoparticles (NPs), and DNA nanostructures, enable a large number of properly designed therapeutic nanomedicines. In this paper, we review the different mechanisms of cancer drug resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, and discuss the latest developments in nanomedicines for overcoming cancer drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Participant selection for first-in-human (FIH) trials involves complex decisions. The trial design makes it unlikely that participants will receive clinically relevant therapeutic benefit, but they are likely to experience risks of various magnitudes and types. The aim of the present paper was to describe and discuss the views of investigators and ethics committee members about the choice of trial participants for FIH trials in cancer nanomedicine. Methods We drew insights from an exploratory qualitative study involving thematic analysis of 46 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders in Europe and North America involved in FIH nanomedicine trials. The present work draws on subset of 21 interviews with investigators and ethics committee members who have either conducted or reviewed a FIH cancer nanomedicine trial or are planning one. Results Investigators and ethics committee members are aware of the ethics standards for recruiting patients with end-stage cancer into FIH trials, but they nonetheless question the practice and provide reasons against it. Conclusions Although it is a standard and ethically accepted practice to enrol patients with end-stage cancer and no treatment options into FIH trials of investigational chemotherapeutic molecules, doing so can threaten the validity and generalizability of the trials, thereby weakening translational research. Another possibility is to stratify and include patients with less advanced disease who demonstrate certain biomarkers or cancer genotypes and who have a disease profile similar to that tested in preclinical studies. The latter approach could be a step toward personalized medical research and targeted drug development. Such a patient selection approach requires multi-stakeholder discussion to reach scientific and ethics consensus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different chemical agents are used for the biocompatibility and/or functionality of the nanoparticles used in magnetic hyperthermia to reduce or even eliminate cellular toxicity and to limit the interaction between them (van der Waals and magnetic dipolar interactions), with highly beneficial effects on the efficiency of magnetic hyperthermia in cancer therapy. In this paper we propose an innovative strategy for the biocompatibility of these nanoparticles using gamma-cyclodextrins (γ-CDs) to decorate the surface of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. The influence of the biocompatible organic layer of cyclodextrins, from the surface of Fe3O4 ferrimagnetic nanoparticles, on the maximum specific loss power in superparamagnetic hyperthermia, is presented and analyzed in detail in this paper. Furthermore, our study shows the optimum conditions in which the magnetic nanoparticles covered with gamma-cyclodextrin (Fe3O4–γ-CDs) can be utilized in superparamagnetic hyperthermia for an alternative cancer therapy with higher efficiency in destroying tumoral cells and eliminating cellular toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women globally. It is caused by mutations in the estrogen/progesterone receptors and conventional treatment methods are commonly utilized. About 70–80 percent of individuals with the early-stage non-metastatic disease may be cured. Conventional treatment is far less than the optimal ratio, as demonstrated through the high mortality rate of women with this cancer. However, conventional treatment methods like surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are not as effective as expected and lead to concerns about low bioavailability, low cellular uptake, emerging resistance, and adverse toxicities. A nanomedicine-based approach is a promising alternative for breast cancer treatment. The present era is witnessing rapid advancements in nanomedicine as a platform for investigating novel therapeutic applications and modern intelligent healthcare management strategies. This paper focuses on nanomedicine-based therapeutic interventions that are becoming more widely accepted for improving treatment effectiveness and reducing undesired side effects in breast cancer patients. By evaluating the state-of-the-art tools and taking the challenges involved into consideration, various aspects of the proposed nano-enabled therapeutic approaches have been discussed in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer continues to represent a global health concern, imposing an ongoing need to research for better treatment alternatives. In this context, nanomedicine seems to be the solution to existing problems, bringing unprecedented results in various biomedical applications, including cancer therapy, diagnosing, and imaging. As numerous studies have uncovered the advantageous properties of various nanoscale metals, this review aims to present metal-based nanoparticles that are most frequently employed for cancer applications. This paper follows the description of relevant nanoparticles made of metals, metal derivatives, hybrids, and alloys, further discussing in more detail their potential applications in cancer management, ranging from the delivery of chemotherapeutics, vaccines, and genes to ablative hyperthermia therapies and theranostic platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer remains one of the world's most dangerous diseases because of the difficulty of finding cost-effective and specific targets for effective and efficient treatment methods. The biodegradability and biocompatibility properties of chitosan-based nanoparticles (ChNPs) have good prospects for targeted drug delivery systems. ChNPs can transfer various antitumor drugs to targeted sites via passive and active targeting pathways. The modification of ChNPs has attracted the researcher to the loading of drugs to targeted cancer cells. The objective of our review was to summarize and discuss the modification in ChNPs in delivering anticancer drugs against breast cancer cells from published papers recorded in Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. In order to improve cellular uptake, drug accumulation, cytotoxicity, and selectivity, we examined different kinds of modification of ChNPs. Notably, these forms of ChNPs use the characteristics of the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect as a proper parameter and different biological ligands, such as proteins, peptides, monoclonal antibodies, and small particles. In addition, as a targeted delivery system, ChNPs provided and significantly improved the delivery of drugs into specific breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231, 4T1 cells, SK-BR-3, MCF-7, T47D). In conclusion, a promising technique is presented for increasing the efficacy, selectivity, and effectiveness of candidate drug carriers in the treatment of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current cancer treatment, various combination therapies have been widely used, such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with chemokinetic therapy (CDT). However, due to the complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the limitations of treatment, the efficacy of current treatment options for some cancers is unsatisfactory. Nowadays, cascade technology has been used in cancer treatment and achieved good therapeutic effect. Cascade technology based on nanotechnology can trigger cascade reactions under specific tumor conditions to achieve precise positioning and controlled release, or amplify the efficacy of each drug to improve anticancer efficacy and reduce side effects. Compared with the traditional treatment, the application of cascade technology has achieved the controllability, specificity, and effectiveness of cancer treatment. This paper reviews the application of cascade technology in drug delivery, targeting, and release via nano-drug delivery systems in recent years, and introduces their application in reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced cancer treatment. Finally, we briefly describe the current challenges and prospects of cascade technology in cancer treatment in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early detection, right therapeutic intervention, and simultaneous effectiveness mapping are considered the critical factors in successful cancer therapy. Nevertheless, these factors experience the limitations of conventional cancer diagnostics and therapeutics delivery approaches. Along with providing the targeted therapeutics delivery, advances in nanomedicines have allowed the combination of therapy and diagnostics in a single system (called cancer theranostics). This paper discusses the progress in the pre-clinical and clinical development of therapeutics, diagnostics, and theranostics cancer nanomedicines. It has been well evident that compared to the overabundance of works that claimed success in pre-clinical studies, merely 15 and around 75 cancer nanomedicines are approved, and currently under clinical trials, respectively. Thus, we also brief the critical bottlenecks in the successful clinical translation of cancer nanomedicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a complete geometric analysis of a novel parallel medical robotic system designed for minimally invasive treatment of hepatic tumors using brachytherapy, ablation or targeted chemotherapy. An algebraic method based on the study parameters of the special Euclidean transformation Lie group SE(3) was used to determine the mechanism kinematics singularities and workspace. Moreover, two particular medical tool manipulations for the minimally invasive medical procedures are defined in terms of the Study parameters. The first manipulation of the medical tool refers to the linear insertion (of e.g., needles) and the second one is the remote center of motion manipulation of specific medical instruments (e.g., ultrasound probes). The constraint equations of the robotic system are derived and then, the operational workspace is illustrated for the novel parallel robotic system. Lastly, a numerical simulation is presented showing the behavior of the robotic system manipulating the ultrasound probe constrained by the remote center of motion. The geometric analysis of the operational workspace and the numerical simulation show promising results that validate the novel robotic system (safe-wise) for the medical procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is one of the major health issues with increasing incidence worldwide. In spite of the existing conventional cancer treatment techniques, the cases of cancer diagnosis and death rates are rising year by year. Thus, new approaches are required to advance the traditional ways of cancer therapy. Currently, nanomedicine, employing nanoparticles and nanocomposites, offers great promise and new opportunities to increase the efficacy of cancer treatment in combination with thermal therapy. Nanomaterials can generate and specifically enhance the heating capacity at the tumor region due to optical and magnetic properties. The mentioned unique properties of nanomaterials allow inducing the heat and destroying the cancerous cells. This paper provides an overview of the utilization of nanoparticles and nanomaterials such as magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, nanorods, nanoshells, nanocomposites, carbon nanotubes, and other nanoparticles in the thermal ablation of tumors, demonstrating their advantages over the conventional heating methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles have been shown to be effective drug carriers in cancer therapy. Pancreatic cancer forms dense tumours which are often resistant to drug molecules. In order to overcome such multidrug resistance, new drug entities, novel delivery systems and combination therapy strategies are being explored. In this paper, we report the design and synthesis of a poly(allylamine)-based amphiphile modified with hydrophobic naphthalimido pendant groups. Bisnaphthalimide compounds have been shown to possess anticancer activity. The potential of this polymer to encapsulate, solubilize and enhance drug (5-fluorouricil and bis-(naphthalimidopropyl)-diaminooctane) cytotoxicity in BxPC-3 cells was evaluated. Our studies showed that the insoluble drugs could be formulated up to 4.3 mg mL−1 and 2.4 mg mL−1 inside the amphiphiles, respectively. Additionally, the novel poly(allylamine)-naphthalimide carrier resulted in an amplification of cytotoxic effect with drug treatment after 24 h, and was capable of reduction of 50% cell population at concentrations as low as 3 μg mL−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]