Nanoparticle – Based Drug Delivery for Stomach Cancer
Supriya Kumari., Ritik Nishad., Ritikesh., Mohd. Moinuddin., Deepak Verma
Department of Biotechnology, Kanpur Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 208001, India
*Corresponding Author
Received: 04 December 2025; Accepted: 10 December 2025; Published: 19 December 2025
ABSTRACT
Stomach cancer, or gastric cancer, continues to be a major global health challenge, largely because it is often
detected late and responds poorly to standard treatments. Traditional therapies like chemotherapy and
radiotherapy frequently struggle with issues such as high toxicity, low drug solubility, and the development of
multidrug resistance. In recent years, nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have emerged as a promising
way to overcome these barriers. By designing nanoparticles that can carry drugs directly to the tumour,
researchers are able to achieve better targeting, controlled drug release, and enhanced drug accumulation at the
cancer site through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. When nanoparticles are further
modified with specific ligands, they can actively recognize tumour markers, improving, treatment precision
while reducing harm to healthy tissues. Innovations in polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, metallic
nanoparticles, and nano-micelles have significantly improved drug stability, bioavailability, and overall patient
comfort. As this review highlights, the integration of nanotechnology into gastric cancer therapy represents an
exciting step toward personalized medicine and may open the door to more effective clinical treatments in the
future.
Keywords: Stomach cancer, gastric cancer, nanoparticle-based drug delivery, targeted therapy, Nano medicine,
controlled release, EPR effect, chemotherapy
INTRODUCTION
Gastric cancer (GC), commonly known as stomach cancer, remains a serious global health issue and continues
to rank among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Despite improvements in diagnostic tools and
treatment options, the outlook for many patients is still poor. This is largely because the disease is often detected
at an advanced stage, shows significant tumour heterogeneity, and frequently develops multidrug resistance
(MDR) to standard chemotherapy drugs (Zou et al., 2025). Conventional treatments-including surgery,
chemotherapy, and radiotherapy-are further limited by non-specific drug distribution, high systemic toxicity, and
low overall therapeutic efficiency. Nanotechnology has therefore emerged as a promising way to overcome these
challenges. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems (Nano-DDS) offer unique advantages such as improved
drug solubility, longer circulation time in the bloodstream, and targeted accumulation at the tumour site through
the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. When nanoparticles are functionalized with specific
ligands or antibodies, they can actively recognize tumour-associated markers, achieving more precise targeting.
These systems can also be engineered to provide controlled or stimuli-responsive drug release, which helps
maximize treatment effectiveness while reducing harmful side effects. Awide range of nanoparticles—including
liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, dendrimers, and biomimetic carriers—are currently
being explored for their potential in GC therapy. Recent research not only shows improvements in conventional
chemotherapy but also demonstrates possibilities for combining nanoparticle systems with gene therapy,
immunotherapy, and imaging-guided treatments. While the transition to clinical use remains challenging, these
advancements indicate that Nano-DDS could significantly transform personalized treatment for gastric cancer
in the future.
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