Assignment 1
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN CANCER
SUBMITTED TO SUBMITTED BY
LECTURER'S NAME: STUDENT NAME:
Ms. SYEDA MASOOMA AIMAN SAEED
STUDENT ID:
24014198-074
SEMESTER: 1
COURSE CODE: GE-SE-203
COURSE TITLE:
APPLIED PHYSICS
DEPARTMENT: SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
DATE OF SUBMISSION: OCTOBER 21, 2024
ROLE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN CANCER
INTRODUCTION
Definition of Nanotechnology:
Nanotechnology refers to any device or product that is created or modified by manipulating
matter at the nanoscale. By controlling atoms and molecules, companies can develop
nanomaterials no more than 100 nanometers thick and apply these materials to industries
like healthcare, sports and electronics.
Examples of Nanotechnology:
Medicines
Cosmetics
Clothing
Energy
Electronics
Nanotechnology can be used to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Cancer:
Definition of cancer:
Cancer is also known as a malignant tumor or malignant neoplasm, is a group of diseases
involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of
body.
These growths are considered either benign or malignant.
Each type of cancer is unique with its own causes, symptoms, and methods of treatment.
Like with all group of diseases, some types of cancer are more common than others.
Not all tumors are cancerous; benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.
Your genes send instructions to your cells—like when to start and stop growing, for
example. Normal cells follow these instructions, but cancer cells ignore them.
Causes of cancer:
Any agent causing cancer is called carcinogen and is described as carcinogenic. Some of the
agents can be chemical and physical agents, diet and physical inactivity, infection, radiations,
heredity etc.
Types of cancer:
There are over hundred different known cancers that effect human body, but most common
once are breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer.
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Stages of cancer:
There are four stages of cancer mentioned below:
Stage 1 cancers are localized to one part of the body; usually curable.
Stage 2 cancers are locally advanced.
Stage 3 cancers are also locally advanced.
Stage 4 cancers have often metastasized, or spread to other organs or throughout the
body.
Nanotechnology in detection and diagnoses of cancer
Nanotechnology, which involves controlling matter at the tiniest scale, is capable of creating
unique structures and devices which find use in cancer research and oncology. These
structures, in combination with molecular discoveries, can provide tools needed to develop
advanced diagnostics, treatments, and preventive measures for cancer.
A. NANOPARTICLES:
Nanoparticles play a crucial role in the early detection of cancer due to their unique
properties. Here are some key ways they are used:
Biomarker Detection: Nanoparticles can capture cancer biomarkers such as cancer-
associated proteins, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and
exosomes. Their large surface area to volume ratio allows for the dense coating of
nanoparticle surfaces with antibodies, small molecules, peptides, and other moieties
to detect specific cancer molecules.
Imaging: Nanoparticles can enhance imaging techniques like MRI, CT scans, and
fluorescence imaging.
For example, gold n Nanotechnology has revolutionized drug delivery and cancer
treatment by enhancing the precision and effectiveness of therapies. Here are some
key ways it is being utilized: nanoparticles can be used as contrast agents to improve
the visibility of tumors.
Biosensors: Nanoparticles are used in biosensors to detect cancer at a molecular
level. These biosensors exhibit exceptional sensitivity and specificity, making them
suitable for detecting extracellular cancer biomarkers.
Liquid Biopsies: Nanotechnology-enabled liquid biopsy diagnostic devices can enrich
and analyze blood-circulating cancer fingerprints with high selectivity and
sensitivity. This allows for non-invasive early detection and monitoring of cancer.
These advancements in nanotechnology are making cancer detection more accurate and less
invasive, potentially leading to earlier diagnosis and better treatment outcomes.
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B. NANOTUBE:
Another nanodevice that will help identify DNA changes is the nanotube.
Nanotubes are carbon rods about half the diameter of a molecule of DNA that not only
can detect the presence of altered genes, but they may help researchers pinpoint the
exact location of those changes.
To prepare DNA for nanotube analysis, scientist must attach a bulky molecule to region
ns of the DNA that are associated with cancer. They can design tags that seek out specific
mutations in the DNA and bind to them. Once a mutation has been tagged, researchers
use a nanotube tip resembling the needle on a record player to trace the physical shape
of DNA and pinpoint the mutated regions.
The nanotube creates a map showing the shape of the DNA molecule, including the tags
identifying important mutations.
Since the location of mutations can influence the effects they have on cell, these
techniques will Important in predicting disease.
C. Quantum dots:
Quantum dots are tiny crystals that glow when they are stimulated by ultraviolet light.
When the crystals are stimulated by UV light, each bead emits light that serves as a sort
of spectral bar code, identifying a particular region of DNA.
To detect cancer, scientists can design quantum dots that binds to the sequences of DNA
that are associated with the disease.
When quantum dots are stimulated with light, they emit there unique bar codes, or labels,
making the critical cancer-associated DNA sequence visible.
Another advantage of quantum dots is that they can be used in the body eliminating the
need for biopsy.
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NANOTECHNOLOGY IN DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM AND
CANCER TREATMENT
Nanotechnology has revolutionized drug delivery and cancer treatment by enhancing the
precision and effectiveness of therapies. Here are some key ways it is being utilized:
A. DENDRIMERS
Dendrimers are highly branched, star-shaped macromolecules with nanometer-scale
dimensions.
Dendrimers are defined by three components: a central core an interior dendritic
structure (the branches), and an exterior surface with functional surface groups.
Application includes drug delivery, gene transfection, catalysis, energy harvesting,
rheology and nanoscale science and technology.
They have been explored for delivery of anticancer drugs.
There are three methods for using dendrimers in drug delivery:
First, the drug is covalently attached to the periphery of the dendrimer prodrugs.
Second, the drug is coordinated to the outer functional groups via ionic interactions.
Third, the dendrimer acts as a unimolecular micelle by encapsulating a pharmaceutical
through the formation of a dendrimer-drug supramolecular assembly.
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B. NANOSHELLS:
Nanoshells are miniscule beads coated with gold. By manipulating the thickness of the
layers making up the nanoshells.
Scientists can design these beads to absorb specific wavelength of light.
The most useful nanoshells are those that absorb near-infrared light, which can easily
penetrate several centimeters of human tissue.
These gold nanoshells are shuttled into tumors by the use of phagocytosis.
Phagocytes engulf the nanoshells through the cell membrane to form an internal
phagosome, or macrophage.
C. NANOROBOT:
A Korean research team has successfully developed bacteriobots that can diagnose and
treat cancer.
This bacteria –based robot is expected to be utilized to develop new treatments for cancer
and various microrobots or nanorobots for medical purposes in the future.
Bacteriobots are made up of bacteria and 3µm-sized microstructures filled with
anticancer drugs.
Genetically-modified nontoxic bacteria move inside tissue or blood with flagella and find
tumors by pushing microstructures and targeting certain drugs secreted by cancer cells.
Upon the arrival of bacteriobots in tumor region, anticancer drugs that come from
microstructures are spread onto the surface of tumor.
CONCLUSION:
Over the past 150 years, many innovative and groundbreaking techniques have been
developed in order to treat cancer. But these approaches has its own series of undesirable
side effects that are both dangerous and damaging to the overall health of the patient.
There have been significant improvements largely due to breakthroughs, both in the
bottom-up and in top-down nanotechnology. We will make early detection, prevention
and treatment with a high degree of accuracy and ease possible that is effective and can
be made it safe.
Different types of cancer cells have unique properties that can be exploited by
nanoparticles to target the cancer cells.
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