Challenges and prospects of using nanoscale therapeutic molecular compositions in oncology

Background. Advances in nanoparticle design technologies have enabled the development of numerous experimental molecular compositions that demonstrate high potential for improving traditional approaches to cancer treatment. However, only a few drugs successfully complete phase III clinical trials and receive approval for clinical use. Analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of nanomedicines, the challenges of their widespread medical application, and further development of this promising field are of undoubted interest to both experimental and clinical oncology.

Material and Methods. The results of a search in the scientific databases PubMed, Medline, in the scientific electronic library eLibrary.ru, as well as in the clinical trials registration database https://clinicaltrials.gov were analyzed for the following queries – keywords: nanoparticles, nanomaterials, nanomedicines and cancer (nanoparticles, nanomaterials and nanomedicines for cancer). For this literature review, 60 relevant articles by internastional and domestic authors published between 2015 and 2025 were selected.

Results. Nanosized molecular compositions offer advantages in cancer therapy primarily through selective tumor accumulation, which enables targeted delivery of antitumor agents and leads to increased therapeutic efficacy. The existing challenges in practical application of this group of drugs are associated with ensuring their stability and safety, as well as with the high variability of the tumor cell microenvironment.

Conclusion. The prospects of nanodrug development focus on integrating various nanomaterials with targeted ligands to deliver antitumor and immunomodulatory agents directly to tumors, with a focus on personalized strategies that consider individual tumor characteristics.

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