Nanoparticulate Drug Delivery Systems in Lung Cancer: Advances, Clinical Translation, and Emerging Targeting Strategies

Abstract

Lung cancer remains to be a major contributor to cancer–related deaths across the globe, primarily due
to late-stage diagnosis, tumour heterogeneity, metastasis, and the systemic toxicity associated with
conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Nanoparticulate drug delivery systems
(NDDS) have emerged due to rising to elevate the treatment efficiency while lessen the adverse effects.
A wide range of nano carrier system such as polymeric nano particles, liposomes, dendrimers, solid
lipid nano particles inorganic nano particles and metal based platforms, have been widely explored for
the treatment of lung cancer. These Nano systems improve drug solubility, enable controlled and
sustained release, prolong systemic circulation, and enhance the drug’s preferential accumulates in the
tumur through passive targeting such as the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, as well
as active ligand-mediated targeting strategies. Additionally, advancements in surface engineering,
inhalable nano formulations, and Thera-ostics platforms have further expanded the clinical potential of
nanomedicine in lung oncology. Despite encouraging preclinical outcomes and the approval of selected
Nano formulations, clinical translation remains limited due to biological barriers, immune clearance,
Tumur microenvironment complexity, manufacturing challenges, and regulatory constraints. This
review provides a comprehensive overview of current nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for
lung cancer, highlighting their design principles, therapeutic advantages, existing clinical applications,
and translational challenges, while outlining future perspectives for precision nanomedicine in
pulmonary oncology.