Nanotechnology: An emerging tool for effective cancer treatment

Nanotechnology is rapidly progressing and is being implemented to solve the problems related to conventional chemotherapeutic agents such as low safety margin, poor water solubility, poor oral availability, normal tissue toxicity and tumor resistance. Nanotechnology promises targeted delivery of drugs and significant improvement in cancer diagnosis, treatment and management. Nanoparticle assisted combination therapies promotes synergism, enhances therapeutic effectiveness, improves pharmacokinetics and suppresses drug resistance. This review sheds light on various nanotechnological platforms as anticancer drug delivery vehicles, raises awareness of the advantages of therapeutic applications of anticancer agents using nanoparticles, minimizing the normal tissue toxicity, drug resistance and treatment of disseminated metastatic cells through targeted therapy.