title: Supramolecular nanoscale assemblies for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
abstract: Nanocarriers based on polymers, metals and lipids have been extensively developed for cancer therapy and diagnosis due to their ability to enhance drug accumulation in cancer cells and decrease undesired drug toxicity in healthy tissues. Overcoming multidrug resistance by designing proper drug nanocarriers will improve outcome of existing oncologic treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In this article the relation between physicochemical properties and capacity of a nanosystem to deliver therapeutic agents into pathological sites is discussed. Most promising examples of drug delivery systems are reviewed, and, in particular, the design of a carbohydrate based matrix with entrapped gold nanoparticles is highlighted.
authors.affiliation: LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Roberto Frias, PT-4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sílvia Castro
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.affiliation: LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Roberto Frias, PT-4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria Carmo
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Radium Hospital, University Hospital, NO-0310 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Asta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Juzeniene
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Radium Hospital, University Hospital, NO-0310 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Petras
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Juzenas
authors.affiliation: LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Roberto Frias, PT-4200-465 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: mcoelho@fe.up.pt.
authors.forename: Manuel A N
authors.initials: MAN
authors.lastname: Coelho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008670:Metals; D011108:Polymers; D011134:Polysaccharides
keywords: Chemotherapy; Drug delivery systems; Gold nanoparticles; Internalization; Polymeric nanoparticles; Radiotherapy