The Use of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Pancreatic Cancer Therapy

Over the last decade major advances have been made in the treatment of cancersuch as breast and leukaemia. However, no satisfactory progress has been made inthe effective treatment of pancreatic cancer. Treatment of this disease is hinderedby resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapy and impaired drug delivery afteradministration. Pancreatic adenocarcinomas characteristically form a dense stroma,which hinders drug penetration. Increasing administration dosage may provideincreased therapeutic effects. However, toxic drug molecules do not act selectively totumor cells and, as such; a vast range of undesirable side effects can be experienced.Nano-sized formulations of cytotoxic agents have proved to passively target pancreaticadenocarcinomas and promote increased drug efficacy. This is thought to be due tothe accumulation via enhanced permeability and retention resulting in deeper drugpenetration. Nanoparticles with easily modified surfaces have been investigatedextensively in recent years and play a pivotal role in biomedicine. In recent years,magnetic NPs have been increasingly explored for clinical applications, such as drugdelivery, magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic fluid hyperthermia for diagnosisand cancer therapy. In comparison with traditional cancer therapy, magnetic fieldoperated therapeutic approaches can treat cancer in an unconventional but moreeffective and safer way. In this literature review, we highlight the recent advances inthe use of iron oxide nanoparticles in pancreatic cancer therapy.