Table 1 Summary of NPs in development or research stage for cancer therapy

PLGA NP

PTX

Chemotherapy

Human prostate cancer lines PC3

Drug delivery efficiency was highly improved compared with free PTX

[31]

PEG, transferrin modified NP

Nucleic acids

Nucleic-acid-based therapy

Human prostate cancer lines PC3 Chronic myelogenous leukemia cells K562

Showed higher efficiency over untargeted particles when transfect K562 leukemia cells

[32]

Tmab modified NP

Docetaxel

Targeted therapy, chemotherapy

Human HER2-postive BT474 cells and HER2-negative MCF7 cells

Increased cytotoxicity in HER2-positive BT474 cells but not in HER2-negative MCF7 cells

[33]

Tmab modified NP

Paclitaxel

Targeted therapy, chemotherapy

Human HER2-postive breast cancer cell lines: BT474, SK-BR-3; HER2-negative cell line: MDA-MB-231

Better treatment efficacy and lower cytotoxicity to human breast epithelial cell control were exhibited

[34]

PLGA NP

Alantolactone Erlotinib

Targeted therapy

Human pancreatic cancer cell lines PANC-1 and Patu8988T

The synthesized NP induced significant cancer cell apoptosis and showed anticancer effect

[35]

Exosome

Doxorubicin

Chemotherapy

Human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231; Mouse ovarian cancer cells; Breast and ovarian cancer mouse models

Cytotoxicity of doxorubicin was enhanced and drug accumulation in mouse heart was avoided

[36]

AuNP encapsulated IONPs/Ag cores

IONPs/Ag

PTT

C57BL/6 implanted with B16-F10 melanoma tumors

The gold NP complex acted well as MRI T2 contrast agent and was an effective PTT agent

[37]

Trithiol-terminated poly-methacrylic acid modified nanorods

Fe₂P

SDT, PTT

Human cervix cancer cells HeLa; non-cancerous mouse fibroblast cells L929

The nanorod was biocompatible and showed ultrasound, photothermal synergistic therapeutic properties

[38]