Targeted Drug Delivery Strategies for Cancer Therapy: A Review

Abstract

Cancer remains a major global health challenge and is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Conventional chemotherapy is widely used for cancer treatment; however, it often lacks specificity and can lead to severe systemic toxicity due to the non-selective distribution of anticancer drugs. These limitations highlight the need for advanced therapeutic approaches that can selectively target tumor cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. Targeted drug delivery systems have emerged as a promising strategy to improve the effectiveness and safety of cancer therapy[19,20]. Targeted delivery involves directing therapeutic agents specifically to cancerous tissues using specialized carriers or targeting ligands. This approach enhances drug accumulation at the tumor site and reduces off-target effects. Various targeting strategies, including passive targeting based on the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, active targeting [27] through ligand–receptor interactions, and stimuli-responsive systems triggered by internal or external factors, have been widely explored. Nanotechnology has played a significant role in the development of advanced carriers such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, micelles, and lipid-based nanocarriers for efficient drug delivery[1,2].These systems improve drug solubility, stability, and bioavailability while allowing controlled and site-specific drug release. Despite significant progress, challenges such as biological barriers, variability in tumor microenvironment, and large-scale production remain. This review highlights the fundamental concepts, various targeting strategies, nanocarriers, and recent advancements in targeted drug delivery systems for cancer therapy, emphasizing their potential to improve therapeutic outcomes and reduce treatment-related toxicity.