title: Nanomaterials in combating cancer: therapeutic applications and developments.
abstract: The development of novel nanomaterials and their use in biomedicine has received much attention in recent years. Significant advances have been made in the synthesis of nanomaterials with controlled geometry, physicochemical properties, surface charge, and surface tailoring with bioactive polymers. These successful efforts have resulted in improved biocompatibility and active targeting of tumour tissues, leading to the development of a diverse range of nanomaterials that can recognize cancers, deliver anticancer drugs and destroy tumours by a variety of therapeutic techniques. The focus of this review is to provide an overview of the nanomaterials that have been devised for the detection and treatment of various types of cancer, as well as to underline the emerging possibilities of nanomaterials for applications in anticancer therapy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  In this comprehensive review, the current state-of-the art of nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis and treatment is presented. Emerging possibilities and future concepts are discussed as well.
authors.affiliation: Nanosciences and Catalysis Division, National Centre for Physics, Shahdra Valley Road, Quaid-i-Azam University Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: seegasami.samina@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Samina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nazir
authors.affiliation: Nanosciences and Catalysis Division, National Centre for Physics, Shahdra Valley Road, Quaid-i-Azam University Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tajammul
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Nanosciences and Catalysis Division, National Centre for Physics, Shahdra Valley Road, Quaid-i-Azam University Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan; Department of Chemistry, Hazara University, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Attiya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayub
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Hazara University, Mansehra, KPK, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Umer
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.affiliation: UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Charles Bell House, London, UK.
authors.forename: Alexander John
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: MacRobert
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D050997:Nanomedicine; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011108:Polymers
keywords: AuNPs; Cancer; Nanoparticles; Polymeric nanoparticles; Qdots