Page - (000351) - in Biomedical Chemistry: Current Trends and Developments

used to manipulate matter with size in the range of 1−100 nm (Reddy, 2011) (Fig. 3.5.1). Some of the major challenges in nanotechnology are a proper identification of neoplasic early biomarkers, as well as the understanding of their evolution, screening and early detection, development of technology to provide different selective therapeutic nanoplatforms and the ability to pass through biological and physical barriers (Pinheiro AV1, 2011). Some nanosystems are developed to overcome drug resistance, since they control the efflux of P- glycoprotein, the major mechanism of drug resistance (Dong, 2010). Therefore, nanotechnology has brought new hope for cancer detection due to the development of nanozised probes (Mody, 2011). Figure 3.5.1: A summary of nanoparticles that have been explored as carriers for drug delivery in cancer therapy, together with illustrations of their biophysicochemical properties. Reprinted with permission from (Sun, 2014). Nanotechnology applied to the field of medicine or “nanomedicine”, entails strong advantages in the treatment, diagnosis, monitoring, and control of biological systems, providing several innovative tools, some of them taking the form of nanoparticles, polymeric nanoconstructs, nanofibers, nanoscale microfabrication-based devices and sensors. (Moghimi, 2005). These nanotools aid in the design of imaging agents and diagnostics, allowing easy treatment and early detection of cancer (Table 3.5.1). Nanomedicines are being used as vehicles to deliver therapeutic agents to a specific location in the body (Markman, 2013). The selective