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The most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the world is breast cancer. Despite current treatment methods, new preventative and therapeutic strategies and development of effective breast cancer treatments are required. Conventional cancer research and treatment techniques use cancer cell lines and animal models for in vivo and in vitro investigations. Monolayer cell cultures are incapable of replicating the physiology and environment of tumors. Additionally, animal models include species-to-species differences, which make them difficult to translate cancer drugs and treatments from animal models to clinical trials. Tissue-specific structures, mechanical-biochemical signals, cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions are employed by three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems in order to decrease this unreliability. Therefore, in cancer research, scaffold-based tumor models, a 3D cell culture system, can be used to study tumor microenvironment, pre-screening drugs, and to evaluate drug efficacy before in vivo trials. Among many different methods, to provide more cell-binding sites, the electrospinning method can imitate the ECM by creating a network of polymer fibers with a high surface area at nanoscale. This review concentrates on the distinct physical properties and signaling regulation of cancer cell growth within the scaffolds, the sensitivity of the breast cancer cells (BCCs) to drugs in 3D electrospun scaffolds, the cell-ECM and cell–cell interactions of BCC lines in electrospun scaffold-based cultures, and using these scaffolds for drug delivery into the tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 21st century, chemotherapy stands as a primary treatment method for prevalent diseases, yet drug resistance remains a pressing challenge. Utilizing electrospinning to support chemotherapy drugs offers sustained and controlled release methods in contrast to oral and implantable drug delivery modes, which enable localized treatment of distinct tumor types. Moreover, the core–sheath structure in electrospinning bears advantages in dual-drug loading: the core and sheath layers can carry different drugs, facilitating collaborative treatment to counter chemotherapy drug resistance. This approach minimizes patient discomfort associated with multiple-drug administration. Electrospun fibers not only transport drugs but can also integrate metal particles and targeted compounds, enabling combinations of chemotherapy with magnetic and heat therapies for comprehensive cancer treatment. This review delves into electrospinning preparation techniques and drug delivery methods tailored to various cancers, foreseeing their promising roles in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosynthetic gold nanoparticles (bAuNPs) present a promising avenue for enhancing bio-compatibility and offering an economically and environmentally responsible alternative to traditional production methods, achieved through a reduction in the use of hazardous chemicals. While the potential of bAuNPs as anticancer agents has been explored, there is a limited body of research focusing on the crucial physicochemical conditions influencing bAuNP production. In this study, we aim to identify the optimal growth phase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultures that maximizes the redox potential and coordinates the formation of bAuNPs with increased efficiency. The investigation employs 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) as a redox indicator. Simultaneously, we explore the impact of temperature, pH, and incubation duration on the biosynthesis of bAuNPs, with a specific emphasis on their potential application as antitumor agents. Characterization of the resulting bAuNPs is conducted using ATR-FT-IR, TEM, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. To gain insights into the anticancer potential of bAuNPs, an experimental model is employed, utilizing both non-neoplastic (HPEpiC) and neoplastic (PC3) epithelial cell lines. Notably, P. aeruginosa cultures at 9 h/OD600 = 1, combined with biosynthesis at pH 9.0 for 24 h at 58 °C, produce bAuNPs that exhibit smaller, more spherical, and less aggregated characteristics. Crucially, these nanoparticles demonstrate negligible effects on HPEpiC cells while significantly impacting PC3 cells, resulting in reduced viability, migration, and lower IL-6 levels. This research lays the groundwork for the development of more specialized, economical, and ecologically friendly treatment modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever since the discovery of cancer stem cells (CSCs), they have progressively attracted more attention as a therapeutic target. Like the mythical hydra, this subpopulation of cells seems to contribute to cancer immortality, spawning more cells each time that some components of the cancer cell hierarchy are destroyed. Traditional modalities focusing on cancer treatment have emphasized apoptosis as a route to eliminate the tumor burden. A major problem is that cancer cells are often in varying degrees of dedifferentiation contributing to what is known as the CSCs hierarchy and cells which are known to be resistant to conventional therapy. Differentiation therapy is an experimental therapeutic modality aimed at the conversion of malignant phenotype to a more benign one. Hyperthermia therapy (HT) is a modality exploiting the changes induced in cells by the application of heat produced to aid in cancer therapy. While differentiation therapy has been successfully employed in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, it has not been hugely successful for other cancer types. Mounting evidence suggests that hyperthermia therapy may greatly augment the effects of differentiation therapy while simultaneously overcoming many of the hard-to-treat facets of recurrent tumors. This review summarizes the progress made so far in integrating hyperthermia therapy with existing modules of differentiation therapy. The focus is on studies related to the successful application of both hyperthermia and differentiation therapy when used alone or in conjunction for hard-to-treat cancer cell niche with emphasis on combined approaches to target the CSCs hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanofibers (NFs) with practical drug‐loading capacities, high stability, and controllable release have caught the attention of investigators due to their potential applications in on‐demand drug delivery devices. Developing novel and efficient multidisciplinary management of locoregional cancer treatment through the design of smart NF‐based systems integrated with combined chemotherapy and hyperthermia could provide stronger therapeutic advantages. On the other hand, implanting directly at the tumor area is a remarkable benefit of hyperthermia NF‐based drug delivery approaches. Hence, implantable smart hyperthermia NFs might be very hopeful for tumor treatment in the future and provide new avenues for developing highly efficient localized drug delivery systems. Indeed, features of the smart NFs lead to the construction of a reversibly flexible nanostructure that enables hyperthermia and facile switchable release of antitumor agents to eradicate cancer cells. Accordingly, this study covers recent updates on applications of implantable smart hyperthermia NFs regarding their current scope and future outlook. This article is categorized under:Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat-shock proteins are upregulated in cancer and protect several client proteins from degradation. Therefore, they contribute to tumorigenesis and cancer metastasis by reducing apoptosis and enhancing cell survival and proliferation. These client proteins include the estrogen receptor (ER), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), and cytokine receptors. The diminution of the degradation of these client proteins activates different signaling pathways, such as the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB, Raf/MEK/ERK, and JAK/STAT3 pathways. These pathways contribute to hallmarks of cancer, such as self-sufficiency in growth signaling, an insensitivity to anti-growth signals, the evasion of apoptosis, persistent angiogenesis, tissue invasion and metastasis, and an unbounded capacity for replication. However, the inhibition of HSP90 activity by ganetespib is believed to be a promising strategy in the treatment of cancer because of its low adverse effects compared to other HSP90 inhibitors. Ganetespib is a potential cancer therapy that has shown promise in preclinical tests against various cancers, including lung cancer, prostate cancer, and leukemia. It has also shown strong activity toward breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, gastric cancer, and acute myeloid leukemia. Ganetespib has been found to cause apoptosis and growth arrest in these cancer cells, and it is being tested in phase II clinical trials as a first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer. In this review, we will highlight the mechanism of action of ganetespib and its role in treating cancer based on recent studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional methods of cancer treatment and diagnosis, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and computed tomography, have developed a great deal. However, the effectiveness of such methods is limited to the possible failure or collateral effects on the patients. In recent years, nanoscale materials have been studied in the field of medical physics to develop increasingly efficient methods to treat diseases. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), thanks to their unique physicochemical and optical properties, were introduced to medicine to promote highly effective treatments. Several studies have confirmed the advantages of AuNPs such as their biocompatibility and the possibility to tune their shapes and sizes or modify their surfaces using different chemical compounds. In this review, the main properties of AuNPs are analyzed, with particular focus on star-shaped AuNPs. In addition, the main methods of tumor treatment and diagnosis involving AuNPs are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death all over the globe among women. Nanotechnology has emerged recently to overcome the limitations of the traditional drug delivery system. Conventional chemotherapies have several side effects that damage the immune system and other organs. Several other cancer treatments cause the proliferation of normal cells, making them cancerous due to nonspecific targeting, inability to enter the core of the tumor, and poor solubility. To overcome the problems of chemotherapies, nanotechnology has come up with the direct killing of a tumor cell with fewer side effects. Nanoparticles are designed to recognize the cancer cells and provide accurate drug delivery without interacting with the healthy cells. The use of nanoparticles with anticancer drug therapies has shown promising effects in the killing of cancer cells. The major objective of this review is to discuss the role of Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90) in breast cancer and its treatment by targeted therapy via nanotechnology. This review covers research published since 2001 describing the nanotechnology mediated Hsp90 targeted breast cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is still one of the most common causes of death today despite advances in its detection and treatment. The present article reviews the application of marine-based gold nanoparticles in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The main data were collected from original research articles on the application of different marine-based gold nanoparticles in detecting and imaging cancer cells as well as in drug delivery systems and treatment of cancer. The results show the excellent anticancer potential of both gold nanoparticles and natural marine products. The most studied marine-based gold nanomaterial was chitosan-based ones, in which the role of chitosan is a stabilizer not an anticancer agent. Despite the excellent anticancer potential of different marine natural products, limited studies have been conducted using gold nanoparticles in their composition in cancer therapy. Moreover, most of these studies are related to their application as a drug delivery system not an anticancer drug. Although there are serious challenges in the application of nanoparticles in medicine, marine-based gold nanomaterials may promise an interesting novel strategy in the oncology field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal nanoparticles are widely applied in various biomedical applications because of their unique physicochemical properties. The new and unique properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) including, biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, and optical properties, make them valuable for applications of biomedical fields including, biosensing, bioimaging, cancer therapy of cancer, and drug delivery. Utilization of AuNPs in radiotherapy and photothermal therapy has created a novel platform for primary diagnosis and cancer therapy. Owing to AuNPs' large surface area, chemical functional groups or biological molecules like drug molecules can be immobilized on gold surface. Thus, the surface functionalization of AuNPs makes them a good carrier for targeted drug delivery. This review focuses on new progress in processes of the functionalization of AuNPs and their possible biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hsp90 is a ubiquitous chaperone with important roles in the organization and maturation of client proteins that are involved in the progression and survival of cancer cells. Multiple oncogenic pathways can be affected by inhibition of Hsp90 function through degradation of its client proteins. That makes Hsp90 a therapeutic target for cancer treatment. 17‐allylamino‐17‐demethoxy‐geldanamycin (17‐AAG) is a potent Hsp90 inhibitor that binds to Hsp90 and inhibits its chaperoning function, which results in the degradation of Hsp90's client proteins. There have been several preclinical studies of 17‐AAG as a single agent or in combination with other anticancer agents for a wide range of human cancers. Data from various phases of clinical trials show that 17‐AAG can be given safely at biologically active dosages with mild toxicity. Even though 17‐AAG has suitable pharmacological potency, its low water solubility and high hepatotoxicity could significantly restrict its clinical use. Nanomaterials‐based drug delivery carriers may overcome these drawbacks. In this paper, we review preclinical and clinical research on 17‐AAG as a single agent and in combination with other anticancer agents. In addition, we highlight the potential of using nanocarriers and nanocombination therapy to improve therapeutic effects of 17‐AAG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difficulty of achieving targeted drug delivery following administration of currently marketed anticancer therapeutics is a still a concern. Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) developed through nanotechnology breakthroughs appear to be promising in this regard. Research studies pertaining to gold NPs have indicated their promising applicability in cancer diagnosis, drug delivery and therapy. These NPs have also recently paved the path for precise drug delivery and site-specific targeting. Our review paper thus highlights the scope and impact of biogenetically generated gold nanoparticles (NPs) in cancer therapy. In a critical, constructive, and methodical manner, we compare the advantages offered by gold NPs over other metal NPs. Moreover, we also focus on novel 'greener' strategies that have been recently explored for the preparation of gold NPs and shed light on the disadvantages of conventional NP synthesis routes. Future prospects pertaining to the use of gold NPs in oncotherapy and domains that require further investigation are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology is an important application in modern cancer therapy. In comparison with conventional drug formulations, nanoparticles ensure better penetration into the tumor mass by exploiting the enhanced permeability and retention effect, longer blood circulation times by a reduced renal excretion and a decrease in side effects and drug accumulation in healthy tissues. The most significant classes of nanoparticles (i.e., liposomes, inorganic and organic nanoparticles) are here discussed with a particular focus on their use as delivery systems for small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). A number of these new compounds (e.g., Imatinib, Dasatinib, Ponatinib) have been approved as first-line therapy in different cancer types but their clinical use is limited by poor solubility and oral bioavailability. Consequently, new nanoparticle systems are necessary to ameliorate formulations and reduce toxicity. In this review, some of the most important TKIs are reported, focusing on ongoing clinical studies, and the recent drug delivery systems for these molecules are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident member of the heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) family. In physiological conditions, it plays a vital role in regulating biological functions, including chaperoning cellular proteins in the ER lumen, maintaining calcium homeostasis, and modulating immune system function. Recently, several reports have shown the functional role and clinical relevance of GRP94 overexpression in the progression and metastasis of several cancers. Therefore, the current review highlights GRP94's physiological and pathophysiological roles in normal and cancer cells. Additionally, the unmet medical needs of small chemical inhibitors and the current development status of monoclonal antibodies specifically targeting GRP94 will be discussed to emphasize the importance of cell surface GRP94 as an emerging therapeutic target in monoclonal antibody therapy for cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]