Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Aug 15;5(18):4628-4648.
doi: 10.1039/d3na00462g. eCollection 2023 Sep 12.

Nanoparticle-based delivery systems as emerging therapy in retinoblastoma: recent advances, challenges and prospects

Adaeze Linda Onugwu  1 , Onyinyechi Lydia Ugorji  2 , Chinasa A Ufondu  3 , Stella Amarachi Ihim  4 , Adaeze Chidiebere Echezona  1 , Chinekwu Sherridan Nwagwu  1 , Sabastine Obinna Onugwu  5 , Samuel WisdomofGod Uzondu  6 , Chinazom Precious Agbo  1 , John Dike Ogbonna  1 , Anthony Amaechi Attama  1   7
Affiliations
Review

Nanoparticle-based delivery systems as emerging therapy in retinoblastoma: recent advances, challenges and prospects

Adaeze Linda Onugwu et al. Nanoscale Adv. .

Abstract

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular malignancy in children. The treatment of this rare disease is still challenging in developing countries due to delayed diagnosis. The current therapies comprise mainly surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The adverse effects of radiation and chemotherapeutic drugs have been reported to contribute to the high mortality rate and affect patients' quality of life. The systemic side effects resulting from the distribution of chemotherapeutic drugs to non-cancerous cells are enormous and have been recognized as one of the reasons why most potent anticancer compounds fail in clinical trials. Nanoparticulate delivery systems have the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment by offering targeted delivery, enhanced penetration and retention effects, increased bioavailability, and an improved toxicity profile. Notwithstanding the plethora of evidence on the beneficial effects of nanoparticles in retinoblastoma, the clinical translation of this carrier is yet to be given the needed attention. This paper reviews the current and emerging treatment options for retinoblastoma, with emphasis on recent investigations on the use of various classes of nanoparticles in diagnosing and treating retinoblastoma. It also presents the use of ligand-conjugated and smart nanoparticles in the active targeting of anticancer and imaging agents to the tumour cells. In addition, this review discusses the prospects and challenges in translating this nanocarrier into clinical use for retinoblastoma therapy. This review may provide new insight for formulation scientists to explore in order to facilitate the development of more effective and safer medicines for children suffering from retinoblastoma.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Retinoblastoma eye.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Current and emerging therapies for retinoblastoma.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Pathways for new drug discovery in retinoblastoma. Reprinted with permission from ref. . Copyright 2022, Frontiers in Oncology 2022, Pharmaceutics.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Different types of nanoparticles used in retinoblastoma therapy.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5. Some applications of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) in retinoblastoma therapy.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6. Lipid nanoparticles in retinoblastoma; the figure was created with https://www.BioRender.com.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7. Structures of phytoconstituents investigated for anti-retinoblastoma activity.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8. Fate of a ligand modified nanoparticle.
None
Adaeze Linda Onugwu
None
Onyinyechi Lydia Ugorji
None
Chinasa A. Ufondu
None
Adaeze Chidiebere Echezona
None
Samuel WisdomofGod Uzondu
None
Anthony Amaechi Attama
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Sung H. Ferlay J. Siegel R. L. Laversanne M. Soerjomataram I. Jemal A. Bray F. Ca-Cancer J. Clin. 2021;71:209–249. doi: 10.3322/caac.21660. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Friend S. H. Bernards R. Rogelj S. Weinberg R. A. Rapaport J. M. Albert D. M. Dryja T. P. Nature. 1986;323:643–646. doi: 10.1038/323643a0. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fabian I. D. Sagoo M. S. Community Eye Health. 2018;31:7. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Abramson D. H. Frank C. M. Susman M. Whalen M. P. Dunkel I. J. Boyd N. W. J. Pediatr. 1998;132:505–508. doi: 10.1016/S0022-3476(98)70028-9. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Singh G. Daniels A. B. Semin. Ophthalmol. 2016;31:310–316. doi: 10.3109/08820538.2016.1154177. - DOI - PubMed