Title:Applications of Nanotechnology-based Approaches to Overcome Multi-drug
Resistance in Cancer
Volume: 28
Issue: 38
Author(s): Sana Kalave, Namita Hegde and Kapil Juvale*
Affiliation:
- Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM’s NMIMS, V.L. Mehta Road, Vile Parle [W],
Mumbai, India
Keywords:
MDR, ABC transporters, nanotechnology, nanocarriers, multidrug resistance, cancer.
Abstract: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the
major treatments used for the management of cancer. Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major hindrance faced in
the treatment of cancer and is also responsible for cancer relapse. To date, several studies have been carried out
on strategies to overcome or reverse MDR in cancer. Unfortunately, the MDR reversing agents have been proven
to have minimal clinical benefits, and eventually, no improvement has been made in therapeutic efficacy to
date. Thus, several investigational studies have also focused on overcoming drug resistance rather than reversing
the MDR. In this review, we focus primarily on nanoformulations regarded as a novel approach to overcome
or bypass the MDR in cancer. The nanoformulation systems serve as an attractive strategy as these nanosized
materials selectively get accumulated in tumor tissues, thereby improving the clinical outcomes of patients
suffering from MDR cancer. In the current work, we present an overview of recent trends in the application
of various nano-formulations, belonging to different mechanistic classes and functionalization like carbon
nanotubes, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanospheres, liposomes, dendrimers, etc., to overcome MDR in cancer.
A detailed overview of these techniques will help researchers in exploring the applicability of nanotechnologybased
approaches to treat MDR.
