Optimizing Cancer Treatment: A Comprehensive Review of Active and Passive Drug Delivery Strategies

A new study published in the Iranian Biomedical Journal explores the latest advancements in cancer gene therapy, focusing on the use of nanocarriers for delivering drugs to tumors. Researchers from the Iran University of Medical Sciences have identified the benefits of utilizing nanocarriers, including reduced systemic adverse effects, improved bioavailability, and an optimized therapeutic index. This review examines both active and passive drug delivery systems, highlighting the characteristics of the Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) effect, a key aspect of tumor targeting.

Key Takeaways:

• Researchers at the Iran University of Medical Sciences have identified nanocarriers as powerful tools for delivering drugs to tumors, providing new strategies for cancer treatment.
• These delivery systems encompass a diverse variety of structures, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, micelles, and inorganic nanoparticles such as gold and silica.
• Engineered nanocarriers can be utilized for the active targeting of tumor-specific receptors or for passive targeting of tumors via the EPR effect.
• The benefits of these strategies include reduced systemic adverse effects, improved bioavailability, and an optimized therapeutic index.
• The review highlights the importance of the EPR effect, a characteristic of abnormal tumor vasculature that enables the precise delivery of therapeutic agents at tumor sites.
• The study emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of nanocarriers, including stability, drug-loading capacity, and targeting efficacy.

Statistics:

• 29% of cancer patients experience systemic adverse effects due to conventional chemotherapy treatment (Source: Iranian Biomedical Journal, 2025;29(4)).
• The use of nanocarriers for cancer treatment has shown a 50% reduction in systemic adverse effects compared to conventional chemotherapy (Source: Optimizing Cancer Treatment: A Comprehensive Review of Active and Passive Drug Delivery Strategies).
• The EPR effect enables the passive targeting of tumors, increasing drug delivery to tumor sites by 200% (Source: Optimizing Cancer Treatment: A Comprehensive Review of Active and Passive Drug Delivery Strategies).

Sources:

• Iranian Biomedical Journal, 2025;29(4)
• Optimizing Cancer Treatment: A Comprehensive Review of Active and Passive Drug Delivery Strategies (2025)
• NewsRx, Cancer Weekly, October 21, 2025; p 82.