Nanotechnology as a Platform for Personalized Cancer Therapy

Authors

  • Kevin Eric Shopsowitz University of British Columbia

Abstract

The conventional approach to cancer therapy is hardly personal: while chemotherapy has done wonders to save and prolong lives, it can cause damaging side effects in many patients and has limited efficacy in certain cancers. Newer personalized approaches to cancer therapy look to target specific molecular characteristics of an individual’s cancer cells, with the aim of improving cure rates and reducing side effects. To achieve this goal, we need to integrate the abundant information that is now readily obtained from cancers–e.g., their mutational landscapes and gene expression profiles–with relevant therapeutic strategies. Nanotechnology is a powerful tool that is being studied extensively for this purpose. This article will describe some key areas where nanotechnology is presently being used to enable personalized approaches to cancer treatment along with future directions. I will also discuss the roadblocks that must be overcome for these technologies to achieve widespread clinical use.  

Published

2017-06-22