Smart Ligand-Targeted Drug Delivery for Breast Cancer
Globally, Breast Cancer (BC) is the most common cancer to be diagnosed in women. Over the past three decades, its incidence and mortality rates have gone up as a result of improved cancer detection, changes in risk factor profiles, and improved cancer registration. Conventional breast cancer treatments can damage healthy cells and can have serious adverse effects. Therefore, novel approaches should be employed to improve overall efficacy and reduce toxic effects. Ligand-based targeting systems may be an effective strategy. To collect information, scientific databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, and the Wiley Online Library were used. All relevant data were reviewed, and a literature screening was done. High-quality studies were prioritized and summarized for citations in the review. Due to numerous side effects along with drug resistance, research in developing new strategies, including ligand-based drug delivery systems targeting breast cancers, has increased in recent years. Numerous studies have reported the development of these systems to achieve enhanced therapeutic efficacy while simultaneously reducing the drug’s unwanted side effects on healthy cells or tissues. With an emphasis on various targeting ligands, including Folic Acid (FA), carbohydrates, antibodies, peptides, transferrin, and aptamers, this article gives an overview of recent developments in targeted drug delivery systems for breast cancer treatment. The most recent instances of such tailored drug delivery systems for breast cancer are also covered in the review, along with benefits, difficulties, and potential future developments.