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Background: Cancer, as a complex, heterogeneous disease, is currently affecting millions of people worldwide. Even if the most common traditional treatments, namely, chemotherapy (CTx) and radiotherapy (RTx), have been so far effective in some conditions, there is still a dire need for novel, innovative approaches to treat types of cancer. In this context, oncoviruses are responsible for 12% of all malignancies, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), as well as hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), and the poorest in the world also account for 80% of all human cancer cases. Against this background, nanomedicine has developed nano-based drug delivery systems (DDS) to meet the demand for drug delivery vectors, e.g., extracellular vesicles (EVs). This review article aimed to explore the potential of engineered small EVs (sEVs) in suppressing human oncovirus-associated cancers. Methods: Our search was conducted for published research between 2000 and 2022 using several international databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. We also reviewed additional evidence from relevant published articles. Results: In this line, the findings revealed that EV engineering as a new field is witnessing the development of novel sEV-based structures, and it is expected to be advanced in the future. EVs may be further exploited in specialized applications as therapeutic or diagnostic tools. The techniques of biotechnology have been additionally utilized to create synthetic bilayers based on the physical and chemical properties of parent molecules via a top-down strategy for downsizing complicated, big particles into nano-sized sEVs. Conclusion: As the final point, EV-mediated treatments are less toxic to the body than the most conventional ones, making them a safer and even more effective option. Although many in vitro studies have so far tested the efficacy of sEVs, further research is still needed to develop their potential in animal and clinical trials to reap the therapeutic benefits of this promising platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exosomes are the smallest group of extracellular vesicles in size from 30 to 150 nm, surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane, and originate from multivesicular bodies secreted by different types of cells, such as virus-infected cells. The critical role of exosomes is information transfer among cells, representing a unique way for intercellular communication via a load of many kinds of molecules, including various signaling proteins and nucleic acids. In this review, we aimed to comprehensively investigate the role of exosomes in promoting human oncogenic viruses-associated cancers. Methods: Our search was conducted for published researches between 2000 and 2022 by using several international databases includeing Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science as well as Google scholar. We also reviewed additional evidence from relevant published articles. Results: It has been shown that exosomes can create the conditions for viral spread in viral infections. Exosome secretion in a human tumor virus can switch on the cell signaling pathways by transferring exosome-encapsulated molecules, including viral oncoproteins, signal transduction molecules, and virus-encoded miRNAs, into various cells. Conclusion: Given the role of exosomes in viruses-associated cancers, they can also be considered as molecular targets in diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Exosomes are small vesicles that can transfer biological molecules, horizontally and function in local and systemic cellular communication. • Exosomes cane used as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic tool in which they do not possess risks such as aneuploidy and transplant rejection. • An important application of exosomes is their therapeutic potential in clinical trials and used as vaccines in cancers anti-tumor immunotherapy. • Due to the different exosomal miRNA profile, they have potential in the diagnosis of the pathological state and tumor development process. Exosomes are cup-shaped structures, made of two lipid layers. Their size is in the range of 30–150 nm. Exosomes are excreted to the extracellular space and function in local and systemic cellular communication. Based on their primary origins, they can contain substantial amounts of RNA, protein, and miRNA; the horizontal transfer of these contents significantly determines the exosome's biological effects. The endosomal origins of exosomes can be deduced based on their surface protein markers. The use of exosomes as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic tool, has numerous advantages because they do not pose risks such as aneuploidy and transplant rejection. This - overview highlights the recent findings in exosome development and current knowledge in exosome-based therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]