Inhalable nano-embedded microspheres as an emerging way for local treatment of lung carcinoma: Benefits, Methods of preparation & characterizaton

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and this makes it an attractive disease to review and possibly improve therapeutic treatment options. he extreme lethality of lung cancer is ascribed to the lack of early diagnostic strategies as in almost 50 % of the cases the disease is confirmed in stage IV, leaving low chance of survival. The inaccessibility to the deeper portions of the lung for conventional therapy further adds up to the complication in the treatment process. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted treatments, and immunotherapy separate or in combination are commonly used to treat lung cancer. However, these treatment types may cause different side effects, and chemotherapy-based regimens appear to have reached a therapeutic plateau. Hence, effective, better- tolerated treatments are needed to address and hopefully overcome this conundrum. Nanocarriers through inhalational route offer many advantages like; 1) they achieve uniform distribution of drug among the alveoli, 2) better solubilization of the drug, 3) sustained drug release which subsequently decreases dosing frequency, 4) better patient compliance, 5) lesser side effects, and 6) improved drug internalization to the cells .Therefore, targeted inhalable NP delivery to the lungs is a potential area of research in cancer nanotechnology that catches the attention of many formulation scientists, oncologists, and biomedical researchers. Based on this literature review, we will discuss the development, characterization, and benefits of inhalable nanocarriers for local treatment of lung carcinoma.