Realizing the clinical potential of cancer nanotechnology by minimizing toxicologic and targeted delivery concerns

Nanotechnology has the potential to make smart drugs that would be capable of targeting cancer but not normal cells and to load combinations of cooperating agents into a single nanosized particle to more effectively treat this disease. However, to realize the full potential of this technology, the negative aspects associated with these nanoparticles need to be overcome. This review discusses concerns in the field limiting realization of the full clinical potential of this technology, which are toxicity and targeted delivery. Strategies to overcome these hurdles are also reviewed, which could lead to attainment of the full clinical potential of this exciting technology.