Nanoparticle‐Based Radiosensitizers in Cancer Therapy: Current Advances and Clinical Prospects

Abstract

Radiotherapy is the primary form of treatment for several types of cancer. However, several factors severely limit radiation therapeutic effectiveness, including resistance to high radiation levels due to low levels of reactive oxygen species and low radiation absorption by tumor tissue, abnormal cancer cell growth, and apoptosis. Nanoparticles have been widely exploited as radiosensitizers due to their distinct physicochemical features and multifunctionality, which have the potential to improve radiation therapy efficacy. In this article, we carried out a systematic assessment of numerous nanoparticle‐based radiosensitization techniques for radiation therapy. This includes approaches designed to increase ROS levels during tumor hypoxia and control of redox homeostasis through glutathione depletion, alteration of tumor microenvironment pH, and use of NIR‐responsive techniques. The chemical drug‐loaded nanoparticles have been studied for their potential to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy, such as chemoradiotherapy, immunoradiotherapy, and radiotherapy combined with sonodynamic and photothermal therapies. Increasing the formation of ROS, reducing hypoxia, enhancing the anti‐tumor immune microenvironment, and G 2 /M cell cycle arrest are the usual methods used to sensitize patients to radiation. Furthermore, the status of radiation is significantly improved using nanoparticle‐based anti‐tumor techniques. Multiple clinical trials on radiosensitizers are currently ongoing, some of which have been approved for treatment.