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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 14, 2022; 28(46): 6497-6511
Published online Dec 14, 2022. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i46.6497
Nanotechnology for colorectal cancer detection and treatment
Purnima Gogoi, Geetika Kaur, Nikhlesh K Singh
Purnima Gogoi, Geetika Kaur, Nikhlesh K Singh, Integrative Biosciences Center, OVAS, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48202, United States
Author contributions: Gogoi P, Kaur G and Singh NK contributed to writing the original draft, review and editing of the manuscript and visual representation of the data; Singh NK contributed to conceptualization, supervision and funding acquisition; and all authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Supported by the National Institutes of Health grant, R01EY029709.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Nikhlesh K Singh, DVM, PhD, Associate Professor, Integrative Biosciences Center, OVAS, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 6135 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, United States. nsingh2@wayne.edu
Received: September 13, 2022
Peer-review started: September 13, 2022
First decision: October 19, 2022
Revised: October 28, 2022
Accepted: November 18, 2022
Article in press: November 18, 2022
Published online: December 14, 2022
Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Across the globe, people in the age group older than 50 are at a higher risk of CRC. Genetic and environmental risk factors play a significant role in the development of CRC. If detected early, CRC is preventable and treatable. Currently, available screening methods and therapies for CRC treatment reduce the incidence rate among the population, but the micrometastasis of cancer may lead to recurrence. Therefore, the challenge is to develop an alternative therapy to overcome this complication. Nanotechnology plays a vital role in cancer treatment and offers targeted chemotherapies directly and selectively to cancer cells, with enhanced therapeutic efficacy. Additionally, nanotechnology elevates the chances of patient survival in comparison to traditional chemotherapies. The potential of nanoparticles includes that they may be used simultaneously for diagnosis and treatment. These exciting properties of nanoparticles have enticed researchers worldwide to unveil their use in early CRC detection and as effective treatment. This review discusses contemporary methods of CRC screening and therapies for CRC treatment, while the primary focus is on the theranostic approach of nanotechnology in CRC treatment and its prospects. In addition, this review aims to provide knowledge on the advancement of nanotechnology in CRC and as a starting point for researchers to think about new therapeutic approaches using nanotechnology.

Keywords: Nanoparticles, Colorectal cancer, Carbon nanotubes, Dendrimers, Quantum dots

Core Tip: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Genetic and environmental risk factors play a significant role in the development of CRC. This review discusses the recent insights into nanotechnology-based methods for screening, detection and treatment of CRC. This review aims to provide knowledge on the advancement of nanotechnology in CRC and as a starting point for researchers to think about new therapeutic approaches using nanotechnology.