title: Smart Drug Delivery Systems in Cancer Therapy.
abstract: Smart nanocarriers have been designed for tissue-specific targeted drug delivery, sustained or triggered drug release and co-delivery of synergistic drug combinations to develop safer and more efficient therapeutics.
  
  
  
  Advances in drug delivery systems provide reduced side effects, longer circulation half-life and improved pharmacokinetics.
  
  
  
  Smart drug delivery systems have been achieved successfully in the case of cancer. These nanocarriers can serve as an intelligent system by considering the differences of tumor microenvironment from healthy tissue, such as low pH, low oxygen level, or high enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinases.
  
  
  
  The performance of anti-cancer agents used in cancer diagnosis and therapy is improved by enhanced cellular internalization of smart nanocarriers and controlled drug release. Here, we review targeting, cellular internalization; controlled drug release and toxicity of smart drug delivery systems. We are also emphasizing the stimulus responsive controlled drug release from smart nanocarriers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gozde
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Unsoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.|Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ufuk
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gunduz
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D065546:Drug Liberation; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D036103:Nanotechnology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009928:Organ Specificity
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers
keywords: Smart drug delivery; nanocarriers; smart nanocarriers; stimulus responsive drug release; targeted cancer therapy; targeted durg delivery