Cancer is a disease in which cells grow uncontrollably and spread to
different tissues. Existing treatment methods developed for cancer do not allow this
disease to be completely cured, and these methods have various side effects. The search
for effective cancer treatment has encouraged scientists to produce new ideas with
nanotechnological methods. With the help of nanotechnological methods, which are
becoming more popular day by day, the material is reduced to nano size, where it
shows quantum effect, and gains unique physicochemical, mechanical, and biological
properties. Thanks to the large surface area of the nanocarriers, more drug loading can
be achieved on the unit surface, and their easy modification procedures enable these
materials to be conjugated with biological molecules to become more specific
structures. Due to the several advantages of nanocarriers, such as different synthesis
methods, being open to modification, and relatively easy production, these materials
can provide effective delivery of cancer drugs and even increase their efficacy.
Moreover, there are also many nanodrugs approved for different routes of
administration. Thanks to all these features, nanocarriers are promising ways to
develop new drug formulations for cancer treatment. In this chapter, the anticancer
activity of nanocarriers synthesized by different methods is clarified. Besides, the
effects of the nanocarriers on different types of cancer, the targeting strategies of
nanocarriers, and the effects of their size, surface charge, and shape, on their anticancer
activity are summarized.
Keywords: Active targeting, Anticancer effect, Antitumor effect, Cancer, Cancer cells, Cancer treatment, Carbon nanotubes, Chemotherapy, Drug delivery, Graphene, Lipid nanocarriers, Magnetic nanoparticles, Metallic nanoparticles, Nanocarriers, Nanodrugs, Nanoparticles, Nanotechnology, Passive targeting, Polymeric nanocarriers, Targeted delivery.
