ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on various Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of different shapes and sizes, including gold nanorods and core-shell gold nanospheres. It discusses their synthesis, surface modification for cancer targeting, biodistribution and cellular uptake, efficacy, use as imaging enhancers and in combination with ablation modalities, and toxicity. The chapter explores clinical trials involving AuNPs as standalone drug carriers to show their potential translatability in the clinic. The vasculature of solid tumors is often leaky with poor lymphatic drainage, allowing nanoparticles with long circulation times to penetrate and preferentially accumulate in the tumor tissue bed. Surface modification can introduce cancer specific ligands for active cancer targeting and accumulation. Many surface markers or receptors on cancer cell membranes are upregulated, which can be used as targets for cancer treatment.
