Themed collection World Cancer Day 2024: Showcasing cancer research across the RSC

The structure–property relationship of polyprodrugs was explored from the perspective of molecular structure, by discussing the effects of the conjugations and linkers on their drug content and drug releasing performance.

Revolutionizing cancer management: point-of-care sensing systems in perspective.

Sonocatalytic cancer therapy has emerged as a promising strategy through the combination of ultrasound waves and catalytic materials to selectively target and destroy cancer cells.

Inorganic nanomaterials show promising potential for radiotherapy enhancement. This article provides a concise summary of mechanisms involved, materials designs and future prospects of nanoparticle-based radioenhancement for precision medicine.

Injectable hydrogels intended for cancer combinatorial-photothermal therapy bring forward the possibility of attaining multifunctional systems for an improved and selective treatment for this disease.

Cancer is characterized by the uncontrolled division of cells, resulting in the formation of tumors. The personalized composition of biomaterials and 3D techniques can be used as a modelling tool to understand the complexity of various cancers.

In the past few years, the development in the construction and architecture of graphene based nanocomplexes has dramatically accelerated the use of nano-graphene for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes, fostering a new area of nano-cancer therapy.

Recent advances and some key developments in the construction of PAMAM dendrimer-based nanoplatforms for tumor CT imaging and theranostics have been reviewed.

Basic principle of sensing technique of various carbon nanomaterial-based biosensors.

Developing nanovehicles for selective delivery of a radiation dose/drug to hypoxic tumors is a present-day clinical requirement for effective treatment of cancer.

A self-reported and self-facilitated theranostic oxygen nano-economizer (PTTD NPs) for precise photodynamic therapy (PDT) is developed. Under self-reported optimal laser duration, PTTD NPs could alleviate tumor hypoxia for self-facilitating PDT.

A biocompatible porphyrin-based pure organic porous nanocage with large cavity, high porosity as well as enhanced type I and type II reactive oxygen species generation is developed for photodynamic therapy.

A strategy of cell membrane-specific self-assembly based on peptide nanomedicine is developed to induce tumor immunogenic death in cancer therapy.

Phototherapy-induced hypoxia boosts the chem-therapy of PEG-TPZ for enhanced theranostics.

HER-2 targeted boron nitride nanotube was developed as a boron agent for boron neutron capture therapy.

We propose a detection method of 10³–10⁴ nanoscale extracellular vesicles secreted from cancer cells and distinguish their multiple membrane proteins using controlled optical force and microfluidic pressure only by 5 minutes laser irradiation.

A multi-channel sensor array composed of three fluorescent units is constructed to differentiate and identify molecular subtypes of breast cancer.

This work demonstrated a nanovesicle-potentiated ferroptosis by remodeling the tumor intracellular environment, providing a promising paradigm for designing nanomedicines to heighten ferroptosis-based synergetic therapeutics.

A nanostrategy that combines bright core–shell probes, a nanomixing chip, and machine learning was proposed to evaluate the clinical performance of plasma EV phenotypes in differentiating early-stage lung cancer and benign lung diseases.

Biolayer interferometry is used to distinguish between glycoforms of the same using lectin-functional nanoparticles as both readers, and signal enhancers. The use of this is exemplified with prostate specific antigen.

Intracellular protein delivery using cationic dextrin nanoparticles show promise as a selective and specific approach to cancer therapy.

Comparison of click chemistry and sortagging grafting strategies for functionalizing AGuIX nanoparticles with nanobodies to develop a tri-functional technology combining MRI imaging, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy by inhibiting immune checkpoints.

Glyconanoparticles selectively bind to cellular targets via glycan–lectin interactions and are excellent drug-delivery systems for targeted photodynamic therapy of cancer.

Two novel nanoparticles based on Pt-containing coordination networks, produced by a green method, reveal important radioenhancement activity on cancerous cells.

We have designed a highly efficient bismuth nanocluster supported on nitrogen-doped porous carbon as a nanozyme (Bi-NC) for cancer therapy. At the same time, Bi-NC shows good photothermal conversion performance to generate heat for strengthening the therapy.

Dual magneto-chemotherapeutic effects on a 3D breast cancer model after 10, 20 and 30 min of treatment.

Lipid nanocapsules was used as thymoquinone nano delivery system to treat colorectal cancer (CRC). TQ-LNCs show a suitable mean size particle and a high drug payload, inducing an early decrease in tumor growth following intratumoral administration to mice.

A biodegradable COF was constructed to break in response to tumors, enhancing the therapeutic effect on tumors.

Coumarin-6 is used as a model hydrophobic drug to investigate delivery to tumors via polymeric micelles. Photophysical characterization, as well as in vitro and in vivo experiments showcase this platform for cancer diagnosis and imaging.

Eradicating established mouse melanoma by tumor-selective chemotherapy in combination with in vivo dendritic cell targeted genetic immunization using a tumor antigen encoded DNA vaccine.

Mitochondria-targeted chemiluminescent probe MCH enables visualization of hydrogen sulfide activity in cancer cells, human serum, and animal models.

A new gold(I)-based therapeutic strategy to treat glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

We unveil for the first time that pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1) and secreted exosomes express MUC1 bearing cancer-relevant dynamic epitopes recognized specifically by an anti-MUC1 antibody (SN-131).

The DOX@7FZ was able to enhance the ROS level in cancer cells via a synergistic effect between apoptosis/ferroptosis synergism.

A new redox-responsive double-switch cancer theranostic was developed based on Mn nanostructures and a Pt prodrug. The ability of these probes to respond to altered redox states was validated in 2/3D cell models and in a preclinical mouse model.

Glioblastoma cells co-cultured with astrocytes in col-HA hydrogels exhibit changes in migration patterns. 3D in vitro models using ECM mimetic materials can be used to analyze glioma-astrocyte crosstalk.

We report the new biomimetic nanoparticles, which is the synergistic combination of immunogenic cell death inducer and immunoadjuvant, proving to be the unique strategy to successfully induce an immune response and boost the anticancer response.

Magnetic nanoparticle delivery systems are promising for targeted drug delivery, imaging, and chemo-hyperthermia of cancer; but their toxicity from reactive oxygen species generation, targeted delivery, and biodegradation limits their use.

A schematic representation of FeNP-induced ROS production and its involvement in ferroptosis.

Intracellular working mechanism of Gem-loaded MBPF CSNPs when exposed to NIR laser irradiation. MBPF passively targets and enhances ROS generation and DNA damage within MDA-MB-231 cells through their dual performance.

The substitution of Fe²⁺ ions by Zn²⁺ ions in the crystal lattice of ferrites increases both the nanoparticles magnetization, and their photothermal conversion efficiency.

When the purine analog, compound 19, is introduced to liver cancer cells, selectively interacting with ALK and BTK, phospho-Src, phospho-Rb, cyclin E, and cdk2 levels decrease, thereby leading the cell to apoptosis.

A novel series of 12 pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives were created and evaluated in vitro for their antiproliferative activity against the NCI 60 human tumor cell line panel.

Compound libraries synthesised and screened against glioma cells built up structure–antiproliferative activity–relationships and informed further design, synthesis and screening, resulting in the discovery of potent CSF-1R inhibitors.

The 3H-pyrazolo[4,3-f]quinoline core, a privileged fusion moiety from quinoline and indazole, facilely synthesized in a one flask multi-component Doebner–Povarov reaction, is a newly described kinase hinge binder.