ABSTRACT
Cancer is a leading cause of death. Irrespective of etiology, cancer is basically a disease of cells characterized by loss of normal cellular growth, maturation, and multiplication that lead to disturbance of homeostasis. A single cancerous cell surrounded by healthy tissue will replicate at a rate higher than the other cells, placing a strain on the nutrient supply and elimination of metabolic waste products. Nanotechnology applied to cancer treatment may offer several promising advantages over conventional drugs. The difficulties faced by nanotechnology in the service of clinical medicine are numerous. Cancer therapy has benefited from the use of liposomal doxorubicin, a formulation that again increases the therapeutic index of the active agent through a combination of passive tumor targeting and reduced toxicity. Cytosol survival of anti-cancer agents and folate receptor-based approaches also hold promise. Carbon nanotubes offer yet another attractive possibility.
