State-of-the-art application of nanoparticles in radiotherapy: a platform for synergistic effects in cancer treatment
Mehrnaz Mostafavi, Farhood Ghazi, Mahboobeh Mehrabifard, Vahid Alivirdiloo, Mobasher Hajiabbasi, Fatemeh Rahimi, Ahmad Mobed, Gholamreza Taheripak, Marzieh Ramezani Farani, Yun Suk Huh, Salar Bakhtiyari, Iraj Alipourfard
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) is a gold standard cancer treatment worldwide. However, RT has limitations and many side effects. Nanoparticles (NPs) have exclusive properties that allow them to be used in cancer therapy. Consequently, the combination of NP and RT opens up a new frontier in cancer treatment. Among NPs, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are the most extensively studied and are considered ideal radiosensitizers for radiotherapy due to their unique physicochemical properties and high X‑ray absorption. This review analyzes the various roles of NPs as radiosensitizers in radiotherapy of glioblastoma (GBS), prostate cancer, and breast cancer and summarizes recent advances. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of NP radiosensitization, including physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms, are discussed, which may provide new directions for next-generation GNP optimization and clinical transformation.