Abstract
Cancer consists of a wide range of diseases that are mainly driven by the
continuous unregulated proliferation of cancer cells. Current treatment options include
the use of chemotherapies, radiotherapy, and surgery. Recently, there was an increased
interest in applying nanoparticles (NPs) in cancer diagnosis and treatment. NPs are
materials in the size range 1 to 100 nm and can be classified based on their properties,
shape, or size. They have attracted wide attention because of their versatile
physicochemical properties, nanoscale sizes, high surface-to-volume ratios, favourable
drug release profiles, and targeting modifications. Nanotechnology can be used to
improve the personalisation of cancer diagnosis and treatment by enhancing the
detection of cancer-specific biomarkers, imaging of tumours and their metastases,
specific drug delivery to target cells, and real-time observation of treatment
progression. This chapter will highlight the main types of lipid NPs with their
preparation methods. The clinical applications of these lipid NPs in cancer diagnosis
and treatment will be presented along with the currently approved drugs based on these
NPs.
Keywords: Cancer diagnosis, Cancer treatment, Lipid nanoparticles, Liposomes, Micelles.
