Abstract

Nanotechnology has the potential to have a revolutionary impact on targeted cancer diagnosis and therapy. A major challenge in cancer diagnosis is to be able to non-invasively detect tumors at an early stage for maximum therapeutic benefit. In the development of effective therapeutic approaches, targeting and localized delivery are the key challenges. However, because many anticancer drugs are designed to simply kill cancer cells, often in a semi-specific fashion, the distribution of anticancer drugs in healthy cells and tissues is especially undesirable due to the potential for severe side effects. This review will address the state of the art in nanotechnologies, and their ongoing applications focused on addressing the challenges posed by the early detection and targeted treatment of cancer. Some relevant patents have also been discussed.

Keywords: Cancer therapy, imaging, nanomedicine, nanoparticles, nanotechnology, photodynamic therapy.