title: Advancement in multifunctional nanoparticles for the effective treatment of cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nanotechnology has gained wider importance for the treatment of various diseases, including cancer. Multifunctional or theranostic agents are emerging as promising therapeutic paradigms, which provide attractive vehicles for both image and therapeutic agents. Nanosystems are capable of diagnosis, specific targeted drug therapy and monitoring therapeutic response. Due to their well-developed surface nature, nanomolecules are easy to anchor with multifunctional groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present review aims to give an extensive account on the progress of multifunctional nanoparticles throughout the blooming research with regards to their clinical application in cancer. This paper discusses graphene, a newly developed multifunctional vehicle in nanotechnology. Furthermore, it focuses on the development of tumor cells, the advantages of novel multifunctional nanoparticles over traditional methods and the use of nanoparticles in cancer therapy. In addition, patents issued by the US office are also included.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite numerous advantages, multifunctional nanoparticles are still at an infancy stage. Many great achievements have been attained in this field to date, but many challenges still remain. A problem that limits the use of multifunctional nanoparticles is toxicity. If this toxicity can be overcome then the advancement in nanocomposite material science will be well on the way to a prospective treatment of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Dreamz College of Pharmacy, Himachal Pradesh, India. mahfoozkaifi@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mahfoozur
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Mohammad Zaki
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kazmi
authors.forename: Sohail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhter
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Afzal
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Farhan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jalees Ahmed
authors.forename: Firoz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anwar
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004337:Drug Carriers; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006108:Graphite; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D053761:Nanocomposites; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010330:Patents as Topic; D045663:Quantum Dots; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D050091:Dendrimers; D004337:Drug Carriers; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D006108:Graphite