Research progress in the treatment of bladder cancer based on nanotechnology

Bladder cancer is the most common malignant tumor in the urinary system. Currently, the clinical treatment options for bladder cancer mainly include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, photodynamic therapy, combination therapy, etc. The conventional treatment and administration strategies for bladder cancer primarily depend on the tumor stage and the extent of metastasis. However, in the process of non-surgical treatment, drugs lack specificity and targeting. Once the dosage is improperly controlled, drugs will damage normal cells when attacking cancer cells, which will lead to poor efficacy and multiple side effects. Nanomedicine is an emerging interdisciplinary field that utilizes nanomaterials and technologies in nanomedicine to provide disruptive technologies for traditional treatments, with advantages such as targeted delivery and high efficiency with low toxicity. Many nanotechnologies have become hot topics in clinical research in the field of medicine. Functionalized nanoparticles can actively or passively target specific cells within target organs, such as bladder cancer cells, by altering their surface properties, thereby enhancing drug delivery precision, reducing damage to normal cells, and improving treatment efficacy. This article provides an overview of the progress in classical and novel treatment approaches to bladder cancer, with a particular focus on the potential applications and future development directions of nanotechnology in the treatment of bladder cancer, providing important reference for personalized therapy and clinical translation in bladder cancer.