Nanomaterials in the application of tumor vaccines: advantages and disadvantages

XD Li,2,* JY Gao,1,* Y Yang,1,* HY Fang,1 YJ Han,1 XM Wang,1 W Ge1 1Department of Geriatrics, 2Department of Equipment, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Tumor vaccines are a novel approach to the treatment of malignancy, and are attracting the attention of the medical profession. Nanomaterials have significant advantages in the preparation of a tumor vaccine, including their ability to penetrate and target cancer tissue and their antigenic properties. In this review, we focus on several nanomaterials, ie, carbon nanotubes, nanoemulsions, nanosized aluminum, and nanochitosan. Applications for these nanomaterials in nanovaccines and their biological characteristics, as well as their potential toxicity, are discussed. Keywords: nanomaterials, tumor vaccine, carbon nanotubes, nanoemulsions, nanosized aluminum, nanochitosan