Nanomedicine Strategies for Targeting Tumor Stroma

Mei Chi Su, Susheel Kumar Nethi, Pavan Kumar Dhanyamraju, Swayam Prabha

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

The tumor stroma, or the microenvironment surrounding solid tumors, can significantly impact the effectiveness of cancer therapies. The tumor microenvironment is characterized by high interstitial pressure, a consequence of leaky vasculature, and dense stroma created by excessive deposition of various macromolecules such as collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid (HA). In addition, non-cancerous cells such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the extracellular matrix (ECM) itself can promote tumor growth. In recent years, there has been increased interest in combining standard cancer treatments with stromal-targeting strategies or stromal modulators to improve therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, the use of nanomedicine, which can improve the delivery and retention of drugs in the tumor, has been proposed to target the stroma. This review focuses on how different stromal components contribute to tumor progression and impede chemotherapeutic delivery. Additionally, this review highlights recent advancements in nanomedicine-based stromal modulation and discusses potential future directions for developing more effective stroma-targeted cancer therapies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number4145
JournalCancers
Volume15
Issue number16
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2023

Keywords

  • cancer therapy
  • cancer-associated fibroblasts
  • collagen
  • extracellular matrix
  • fibronectin
  • hyaluronic acid
  • nanomedicine
  • tumor microenvironment

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