Tumor microenvironment–responsive nanoformulations for breast cancer

Discover Nano Review Tumor microenvironment–responsive nanoformulations for breast cancer Pallavi Velapure1 · Divyanshi kansal1 · Chandrashekhar Bobade1 Received: 9 September 2024 / Accepted: 7 October 2024 © The Author(s) 2024  OPEN Abstract Nanomedicine, the most promising approach for regulated and targeted drug delivery, is frequently applied in cancer treatment. Essentially, accumulating evidence indicates that nanomedicine has positive results in the treatment of breast cancer (BC), with many BC patients benefiting from nanomedicine-related treatments. Currently, nanodrug delivery systems based on stimulus responses are gaining popularity because of their additional ability to manage drug release depending on the interior environment of the cancer. This review includes a synopsis of several types of internal (pH, redox, enzyme, reactive oxygen species, and hypoxia) stimuli-responsive nanoparticle drug delivery systems as well as perspectives for forthcoming times. Stimulus-responsive nanoparticles can remain stable under physiological conditions while being rapidly activated to release drugs in response to specific stimuli, prolonging blood circulation and increasing cancer cellular uptake, resulting in excellent therapeutic performance and improved biosafety. In this paper, we discuss tumor microenvironment responsive Nanoformulation for breast cancer treatment. Keywords Tumor microenvironment · Stimuli responsive · Breast cancer · Nanomedicine · Drug delivery systems 1 Introduction Cancer is the main cause of human fatalities. In the fight against cancer, the general approaches employed in chemotherapy face certain limitations, including the occurrence of adverse effects caused by the accumulation of drugs in healthy cells rather than in cancerous cells [1, 2]. Progress in nanomedicine, with significant implications for treating cancer, has opened novel avenues for targeted therapy. The enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) result serves as a vital procedure for nanoparticles aimed at cancer sites [3]. The shape and surface characteristics of nanoparticles affect their capacity to cluster at tumor sites through the EPR effect [4]. Nanoparticles that respond to stimuli can transport therapeutic drug molecules to tumors without harming the surrounding tissue [5]. With advancements in nanotechnology, nanomedicine, and material chemistry, the utilization of these responsive particles in cancer chemotherapy has been increasingly recognized [6]. Breast cancer ranks as the most common tumor among women or stands as the second-highest contributor to cancerrelated disorder mortality amongst women [7]. Breast cancer care has evolved significantly in recent years because of a number of breakthroughs aimed at improving early detection, diagnosis, therapy, and survival rates [8]. Rapid progress has been made in breast imaging techniques and localization methods, personalized medicine through genetic and * Chandrashekhar Bobade, ; Pallavi Velapure, | 1School of Health Science and Technology, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, S.No. 124, MIT Campus, Paud Road, Kothrud, Pune 411038, Maharashtra, India. Discover Nano (2024) 19:212 | https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-024-04122-5 Vol.:(0123456789) Review Discover Nano (2024) 19:212 | https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-024-04122-5 genomic profiling, and the development of implantable devices [9]. Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence and deep learning models has revolutionized tasks such as image analysis, image-guided surgery, surgical planning, and predicting treatment outcomes [10]. 1.1 Breast cancer A breast’s structure comprises three primary elements: lobes, ducts, or connecting tissue. The lobes are milk-producing and glandular [11]. Ducts are vessels that transport breast milk to nipples [12]. Whatever it is surrounded and linked by connective tissues (both fibrous and fatty) [13], cancer of the breasts is defined as an unregulated expansion of cells from the breast [14]. Cancer of the breast can take many different forms [15]. A woman’s cancer type is determined by the point at which cells in a woman’s breast become cancerous [16]. Usually, cancers of the breast start in the duct or lobes, and cancer of the breast may propagate via the bloodstream and lymphatic systems [17]. Cancer that is metastatic is a term used to describe breast cancer that has spread to other regions of the body [18]. Breast cancer (BC) is a particularly prevalent tumor or the second most common cause of mortality among women worldwide [19]. According to Cancer Statistics 2020, cancer of the breast represents 30% of all female malignancies, with 276,480 new cases and over 42,000 deaths expected in 2020 [20]. Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women in India, constituting 14% of all malignancies in this population [21]. Shockingly, it is estimated that an Indian woman receives a breast cancer diagnosis every four minutes, with incidence rates escalating across rural and urban areas [22]. According to a 2018 analysis of breast cancer data, 162,468 new cases were documented, resulting in 87,090 reported deaths [23]. As the incidence of breast cancer has increased, survival has become increasingly challenging, with over half of Indian women being diagnosed with stage 3 or 4 disease [24]. Post cancer survival rates for Indian women with breast cancer were reported to be 60%, in contrast with the 80% rate reported in the United States [25]. Women possess the ability to self-assess and identify the presence of lumps or masses, which could indicate malignant growth [26]. The poor survival rates for Indian women with breast cancer stem from a lack of awareness and inadequate rates of early screening and testing [27]. Breast cancer presents a number of diagnostic, therapeutic, and control problems [28]. Effective treatments for tumors are challenging because of the varied behavior or heterogeneity of cancer cells, as well as individual therapeutic responses [29]. Additionally, there are barriers to receiving and adopting advances in breast cancer care, such as imaging tools, surgical techniques, targeted therapies, and personalized medicine [30]. The triple-negative subtype of breast cancer presents a unique challenge because of its unfavorable clinical course and poor prognosis [31]. Furthermore, due to insufficient funds, low- and middle-income countries’ healthcare systems struggle with managing breast cancer [32, 33]. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3D bio printing, and nanotechnology have the potential to revolutionize breast cancer care [34], but there are still obstacles to solve, such as treating metastatic illness and addressing worldwide inequities in outcomes [35]. The integration of adjuvant radiotherapy into the clinical context poses additional issues [36], such as sequencing with chemotherapy, toxicity concerns, and the use of radiotherapy following neoadjuvant ch (...truncated)