title: Management of retinoblastoma: opportunities and challenges.
abstract: Nano-delivery systems have significantly evolved over the last decade for the treatment of cancer by enabling site-specific delivery and improved bioavailability. The widely investigated nanoparticle systems are biodegradable polyesters, dendrimers, liposomes, mesoporous silica and gold nanoparticles. These particles when conjugated with different targeting motifs enhance the therapeutic efficiency of the drug molecules and biocompatibility. However, the application of such systems towards the treatment of retinoblastoma (RB), a rapidly spreading childhood eye cancer, still remains in its infancy. Nanoparticle-based systems that have been investigated for RB therapy have displayed improved drug delivery to the most restricted posterior segment of the eyes and have increased intra-vitreal half-life of the chemotherapy agents highlighting its potential in treatment of this form of cancer. This review focuses on the challenges involved in the treatment of RB and highlights the attempts made to develop nano-dimensional systems for the treatment of RB.
authors.affiliation: a School of Chemical & Biotechnology, Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials, Sastra University , Thanjavur , Tamil Nadu , India and.
authors.forename: Dhiraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bhavsar
authors.affiliation: b L&T Ophthalmic Pathology Department , Vision Research Foundation , Sankara Nethralaya , Chennai , Tamil Nadu , India.
authors.forename: Krishnakumar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.affiliation: a School of Chemical & Biotechnology, Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials, Sastra University , Thanjavur , Tamil Nadu , India and.
authors.forename: Swaminathan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sethuraman
authors.affiliation: a School of Chemical & Biotechnology, Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials, Sastra University , Thanjavur , Tamil Nadu , India and.
authors.forename: Uma Maheswari
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Krishnan
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050091:Dendrimers; D008081:Liposomes
keywords: Blood–retinal barrier; drug delivery; nanoparticles; retinoblastoma