Hybrid nanoparticles as new theranostics for cancer detection and therapy

Abstract

Millions of people around the world suffer from cancer and the early detection and effective treatment of cancers are vital for their survival and recovery. Advanced diagnostic techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging are now routinely used and cancer treatments such as surgery and radiotherapy save millions of lives. However, these diagnostic and therapeutic techniques have limitations. Nanotechnology has made enormous impact in all fields, and nanoparticles have attracted great attention for their potential as diagnostic and/or therapeutic tools in oncology due to their unique properties. Combining diagnosis and therapy in multifunctional nanodevices (the so-called “theranostics”) can provide huge benefits to both patients and healthcare systems. New theranostics should have the capability for early cancer detection and provide multiple functions for cancer cell targeting, sensing/imaging, and cancer therapy/therapies. This lecture will present our designs and investigations of new theranostics, which are based on gold nanoparticles, gold nanorods or gold-silver nanoparticles and include hybrid nanoparticles such as metal-polymer nanoparticles, metal-silica shell-metal satellite nanoparticles, and metal-hollow silica yolkshell nanoparticles. Anticancer drugs or plasmids are encapsulated. The theranostics can provide chemotherapy, photothermal therapy, gene therapy, or combined therapies.