Recent Trends in the Development of Nanoparticles and Nanotechnology for Theranostics in Cancer Treatment

Theranostics is an innovative field that utilizes nanotechnology and nanoparticles for a wide range of medical, diagnostic, and imaging applications. Therapeutic payloads, such as chemotherapeutic drugs, nucleic acids, and medicinal proteins or peptides, can be enclosed within nanoparticles or bonded to their surface for controlled release and extended circulation time. Nanoparticles can be used to enhance drug accumulation at the tumor site by traversing biological barriers such as the blood-brain barrier, using active or passive targeting techniques. Theranostic systems based on nanotechnology offer various therapeutic approaches, including photodynamic treatment (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), and gene therapy, which have become available in recent decades. Researchers are exploring nanomaterials with unique surface chemistry and form to combine cancer diagnosis with treatment methods, allowing for rapid diagnosis, precise imaging, therapy with an adequate dose, and real-time supervision of therapeutic efficacy. This review discusses various cancer theranostic applications, characterization techniques, synthesis steps, and types of nanoparticles, including the imaging and diagnostic applications of nanoparticles in cancer.