Abstract

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, posing significant challenges to conventional 
therapeutic approaches due to poor targeting, systemic toxicity, and multidrug resistance. Nanoparticle-based 
drug delivery systems (NDDSs) have emerged as a revolutionary strategy in oncological treatment, offering 
improved drug bioavailability, enhanced tumor targeting, and reduced off-target effects. These nanoscale 
carriers such as liposomes, dendrimers, polymeric nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, and lipid-based systems 
are engineered to optimize the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of chemotherapeutic agents. By 
exploiting passive and active targeting mechanisms, NDDSs facilitate preferential accumulation in tumor tissues 
via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect and ligand-receptor mediated interactions. Moreover, 
functionalization with ligands like antibodies, peptides, or aptamers further augments their specificity and 
uptake by cancer cells. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the types of nanoparticles employed in 
cancer therapy, design considerations for targeted delivery, recent advancements in stimuli-responsive and 
multifunctional NDDSs, and the translational challenges impeding clinical adoption. Emphasis is also placed on 
FDA-approved nanoformulations, emerging preclinical data, and prospects for personalized nanomedicine in 
oncology. Ultimately, NDDSs represent a promising frontier in improving cancer therapeutic outcomes while 
minimizing toxicity and enhancing patient quality of life. 
Keywords: Nanoparticles, Targeted Drug Delivery, Cancer Therapy, Tumor Targeting, Drug Toxicity 
Reduction