Novel Chemotherapy Modalities for Different Cancers - Overview of prodrugs and nanosystems

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Dipper

Approved anti-cancer drugs often show high systemic toxicity due to limited tumor selectivity and pharmacokinetic drawbacks such as poor water solubility, reducing circulation time and bioavailability. Stress-testing under high temperature, hydrolytic media, or light indicates vulnerability of anticancer medications to multiple conditions. Degradation products are treated as waste in formulations and may affect the environment. Formulations have been developed to enable tissue-specific targeting, reduce side effects, and improve stability. Prodrugs and vesicular or nanocarrier systems including polymeric micelles, cyclodextrins, and monoclonal-antibody linked carriers are highlighted.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction And Background

Review

Search methodology

Current scenario for the need for chemotherapy

Open Access Review Article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.45474 Received 08/18/2023 Review began 09/01/2023 Review ended 09/11/2023 Published 09/18/2023 © Copyright 2023 Lohiya et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY 4.0. , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original author and source are credited. Novel Chemotherapy Modalities for Different Cancers Divya V. Lohiya 1 , Ashok M. Mehendale 1 , Drishti V. Lohiya 1 , Harsh S. Lahoti 1 , Vidhi N. Agrawal 2 1. Preventive Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND 2. Otolaryngology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND Corresponding author: Divya V. Lohiya, [divyalohiya1907@gmail.com](divyalohiya1907@gmail.com) Abstract Even though many of the approved drugs still have high systemic toxicity due to a lack of tumor selectivity and present pharmacokinetic drawbacks, like low water solubility, that negatively influence the drug circulation time and bioavailability, the anti-cancer study has produced commendable results in recent years. The stability tests carried out under stressful exposure to high temperatures, hydrolytic media, or light sources during their development or under moderate settings have shown the vulnerability of anticancer medications to various factors. Because of this, the development of degradation products is considered hospital waste in pharmaceutical formulations and the environment. Until now, various formulations have been created for attaining tissue-specific therapeutic targeting, lowering harmful side effects, and enhancing drug stability. To boost the specificity, efficiency, and durability of active molecules that are targeted in cancer therapy the invention of prodrugs is the potential approach. The latest study illustrates that the solubility, pharmacokinetics, cellular uptake, and stability of chemotherapy drugs can be improved through the incorporation of them into vesicular systems, such as polymeric micelles or cyclodextrins, or via nanocarriers containing chemotherapeutics linked to monoclonal antibodies. In this review article, we provide an overview of the most recent advances in the field of designing very stable prodrugs or nanosystems that are powerful anti-cancer medications and their actions on the body. Categories: Internal Medicine, Medical Education, Oncology Keywords: cyclodextrins, polymeric micelles, cellular absorption, nanosystems, hydrolytic media Introduction And Background One of the most frightening illnesses of the 20th century is malignancy; it is still increasing and becoming more common in the 21st century. Every other person has a lifelong risk of developing this malignancy, shocking among all the present affairs [1] . Cancer is a complex series of diseases that develop one after another, accumulating over time to produce a field of cells capable of unregulated growth, and these unregulated cells resist the body 's normal mechanisms for cell death. "Karkinoma " is a Greek phrase originating from the term Cancer, depicting projections resembling appendages [2] . Various genetic and epigenetic alterations and chemical carcinogens brought on by repeated exposure to different types of cancer-causing agents such as smoked tobacco, ultraviolet light, persistent injury to tissues of the body, and some virus-causing infections are primarily responsible for the origin, advancement, and growth of this deadly malignant ailment [3-5]. These malignancies ' target of wrecking is human tissues that are being enlisted and to little range change into pathological creatures or the elementary unit of the tumors [6] . The term "chemotherapy " is attributed to Nobel prize-winning German physician Paul Ehrlich who researched and studied the application of drugs

FAQs

Why do approved chemotherapy drugs often cause high systemic toxicity?

They frequently lack tumor selectivity and have pharmacokinetic limitations such as low water solubility, which can impair circulation time and bioavailability.

What does the review say about the stability of anticancer medications?

Stability tests under high temperature, hydrolytic media, or light exposure show that anticancer medications can be vulnerable to different external factors.

How can prodrugs and nanosystems improve chemotherapy outcomes?

The review discusses that incorporating chemotherapy drugs into vesicular systems (e.g., polymeric micelles or cyclodextrins) or into nanocarriers linked to monoclonal antibodies can improve solubility, pharmacokinetics, cellular uptake, and stability, supporting greater specificity and durability.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Dipper