Nanotechnology In Cancer Treatment

Written by Muhammed Guney Aydemir

Nanotechnology offers innovative solutions in various sectors by analyzing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of nanometer-sized structures. It offers revolutionary apps in branches like medicine, electronics, energy, and the environment. Nanotechnology provides a revolutionary approach to cancer treatment. Nanoscopic materials are used in targeted therapy methods. Especially nanoparticles can transform cancer cells that are not damaged to textures. This method decreases the harms of chemotherapy and increases the rates of treatment. Furthermore, nanotechnology devices allow more sensitive viewing and biomarker detection for early cancer detection. Nanorobots can potentially clear damage at the cellular level in later stages. These new approaches offer improved more effective and personalized methods (Zhao., 2018)

Nanotechnology Approaches In Cancer

Nanoparticles, in particular, decrease the risk of healthy tissue damage from medications by ensuring that drugs are delivered directly to tumor cells. For example, nanotechnology drug carriers like liposomal, and doxorubicin minimizes the side effect of chemotherapy. Also, nanomaterials like quantum points and gold nanoparticles are used for early cancer cell detection and viewing. In this way, it’s possible that early tumor diagnosis and faster start to treatment (Wang, H.-W., et al., 2011). Continuous critical European research about it; for example, the NANOBIO4CAN project, coordinated by Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and App Department (SUNUM), received a grant of 3 million euros from the European Commission. Similar Projects increase the potential of nanotechnology in cancer treatment and contribute to improving more effective treatment in the future (TÜBİTAK., 2024)

Role Of Nanotechnology In Cancer Diagnosis

Nanotechnology ensures early cancer detection and starts faster treatment by offering revolutionary. Traditional diagnoses usually are effective when the tumor reaches a certain size, meanwhile, nanotechnology approaches can detect microscopic-sized cells and biomolecular changes. Especially nanoparticles and nanostructures interact with biomolecules specific to cancer cells, causing changes in their optical, mechanical, and electrical properties. Its changes are used to determine the stage and presence of cancer. Silica spheres that involve quantum points and iron oxide nanocrystals offer to focus on specific cells' talent by ensuring a high-quality view. In this way, it’s possible, for earlier and clearer cancer tissue diagnosis. The importance of early diagnosis plays a critical role in the success of cancer treatment (Tong, L., et. al., 2007).  Particular researches show that early-stage lung cancer detection can increase the 5-year survival rate to 92 percent from 57 percent. It shows the critical impact and sick’s life span of early diagnosis on the patient. Nanotechnology methods ensure the increase of the ill’s life span and life quality by offering high sensitivity even in the early stages of cancer and even in precancerous stages.

Moreover, nanotechnology-based sensors allow improved non-invasive diagnosis by detecting cancer biomarkers in blood. These sensors perceive even low-concentrated biomarkers used as critical vehicles in early cancer detection. For example, biosensors that improved using gold nanoparticles can measure prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels 100 times more sensitively than traditional methods. Another innovation offered by nanotechnology is liquid biopsy methods. İts methods ensure cancer detection and follow non-invasively by detecting tumor cells or particles in blood circulation. Especially, technological devices like NanoVelcro chips are used for cancer presence and improvement by detecting tumor cells in circulation from blood samples (Shi, Y., et. al., 2010)

Conclusion

As a result, nanotechnology succeeded in transcending the limits of traditional methods by offering revolutionary innovations. Goal-oriented nanoparticle systems increase drug efficacy and potentially decrease side effects to the least. Moreover, nanotechnological detection devices increase the sicks’ life span and life quality significantly by allowing detect cancer in its early stage. However, it’s needed to more research, and improve the standards of safety and ethics for the large wide use of this technology. But no matter what technological device, it must be carefully used because cancer is a very critical illness and the death of a person due to carelessness is unforgivable. Some university study about improving the solution to carelessness using devices (Wilhelm, S., et. al., 2016).

References:

1. Zhao, C. Y., Cheng, R., Yang, Z., & Tian, Z. M. (2018). Nanotechnology for cancer therapy based on chemotherapy. Molecules, 23(4), 826.

   
   

2. Wang, H.-W., Chai, N., Wang, P., Hu, S., Dou, W., Umulis, D., (2011). Label-Free Bond-Selective Imaging by Listening to Vibrationally Excited Molecules. Physical Review Letters, 106(23), 238106.

3. TÜBİTAK. (2024). NanoBio4Can projesi: Nanoteknoloji ve biyoteknolojide yenilikçi yaklaşımlar. TÜBİTAK Bilim ve Teknik Dergisi, Ocak 2024, https://bilimteknik.tubitak.gov.tr/system/files/makale/sunum.pdf 

4. Tong, L., Zhao, Y., Huff, T. B., Hansen, M. N., Wei, A., & Cheng, J.-X. (2007). Gold Nanorods Mediate Tumor Cell Death by Compromising Membrane Integrity. Advanced Materials, 19(20), 3136–3141. 

5. Shi, Y., Kim, S., Huff, T. B., Borgens, R. B., & Park, K. (2010). Effective Repair of Traumatically Injured Spinal Cord by Nanoscale Block Copolymer Micelles. Nature Nanotechnology, 5(1), 80–87.

   
   

6. Wilhelm, S., Tavares, A. J., Dai, Q., Ohta, S., Audet, J., Dvorak, H. F., & Chan, W. C. W. (2016). Analysis of Nanoparticle Delivery to Tumours. Nature Reviews Materials, 1(5), 16014.