Nanotherapies from an oncologist doctor's view

Cancer remains the leading cause of death and an important barrier to increase life expectancy. It is desirable to develop therapeutics that can improve life quality and prolong the survival duration. Nano materials have long been considered as a potential tool for detection, diagnosis, and treatment of tumor. The application of nanotechnology for the treatment of cancer is highly based on nano drug delivery system. To meet specific clinical requirements in a superior degree, nanoparticles (NPs) with better biocompatibility, lower toxicity, and definite therapeutic effect are now being developed and designed for experiments and applications. This review presents an overview of the clinical application characteristics of NPs and summarizes the recent advances in the development of nano materials for cancer therapy.