title: Carbon nanotubes in cancer diagnosis and therapy.
abstract: During the past years, great progress has been made in the field of nanomaterials given their great potential in biomedical applications. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), due to their unique physicochemical properties, have become a popular tool in cancer diagnosis and therapy. They are considered one of the most promising nanomaterials with the capability of both detecting the cancerous cells and delivering drugs or small therapeutic molecules to these cells. Over the last several years, CNTs have been explored in almost every single cancer treatment modality, including drug delivery, lymphatic targeted chemotherapy, thermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, and gene therapy. In this review, we will show how they have been introduced into the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Novel SWNT-based tumor-targeted drug delivery systems (DDS) will be highlighted. Furthermore, the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of CNTs reported in recent years will be summarized.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
authors.forename: Shun-rong
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: De-liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Quan-xing
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Xian-jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000517:prevention & control; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000009:adverse effects; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D010778:Photochemotherapy
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon