Nanomedicine: A Smart Approach for Cancer Chemotherapy Delivery

Vocabulary flashcards about Nanomedicine in cancer treatment.

Why do conventional chemotherapeutics have so many side effects

Have non selective toxicity as they affect rapidly dividing cells, which isn’t limited to tumour cells.

Tumour cells can develop resistance to cancer drugs- reduced efficacy.

Most anticancer drugs have poor bioavailability- therefore need higher doses, which increases toxicity.

EPR Effect

A phenomenon where nanoparticles and macromolecules preferentially accumulate in tumor tissue due to leaky vasculature and poor lymphatic drainage.

PEGylation

A chemical process that attaches polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains to molecules to improve their properties and minimize opsonization.

Active Targeting

Modification of a nanoparticle with ligands to specifically target cancer cell markers.

Passive Targeting

Relies on the Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) effect to accumulate nanomedicines in tumor tissue.

Chemotherapy

Non-specific therapy that can cause hair loss, fatigue, and nausea.

Doxorubicin

Anthracycline that can cause an enlarged heart; non-selective mechanism: side-effects