Hybrid Nanomaterials Based on Iron Oxide Nanoparticles and Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles: Overcoming Challenges in Current Cancer Treatments

The current approaches used for the treatment of cancer face some clinical limitations such as induction of severe side effects, multidrug resistance (MDR), and low specificity toward metastatic cancer cells. Hybrid nanomaterials hold a great potential to overcome all these challenges. Among hybrid nanoparticles, those based on mesoporous silica and iron oxide nanoparticles (MSNs and IONPs) have gained a privileged place in the biomedical field because of their outstanding properties. There are many studies demonstrating their effectiveness as drug delivery systems, nanoheaters, and imaging contrast agents. This review summarizes the advances related to the utilization of IONPs and MSNs for reducing side effects, overcoming MDR, and inhibiting metastasis. Furthermore, we give a future perspective of the clinical application of these technologies.