Harnessing Nanotechnology to Modulate Hypoxic Tumor Microenvironments: Enhanced Strategies for Oncological Innovations Publisher Pubmed



Ghassemifar V ; Zahedi A ; Meigoli MSS ; Mokhtari T ; Zadeh SSM ; Parsafar M ; Zenjanab MK ; Esfahlan RJ
Source: Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy Published:2025

Abstract

Hypoxia, which is a characteristic of the tumor microenvironment, poses a substantial challenge to the treatment of cancer because it is the driving force behind tumor development, metastasis, and resistance to medicines. This issue arises because cancer cells grow rapidly, and the blood vessels in solid tumors are often dysfunctional, resulting in insufficient oxygen supply. This lack of oxygen makes chemotherapy and radiotherapy much less effective, as they need oxygen to work properly. Developments in nanotechnology hold the promise of introducing novel approaches to the problem of hypoxia-induced treatment resistance. Using the increased permeability and retention effect that exists within tumors, nanoparticles (NPs) are able to improve drug delivery and efficacy. NPs utilize their specific submicron features to achieve this improvement. NPs can target HIF-1, regulate the vasculature of tumors, enhance oxygenation, and deliberately target hypoxic cells. A combined method to tackle problems caused by low oxygen levels is demonstrated by examining NP-based techniques; for instance, utilizing targeted drug delivery systems with bacteria that thrive in low-oxygen environments. This approach will ultimately improve the effectiveness and precision of cancer treatment. There is more discussion of the effectiveness and promise of each strategy in cancer treatment. To combat hypoxia, this paper presents innovative methods that use nanoparticle-based techniques for targeted cancer treatment. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.