Development and Perspectives: Multifunctional Nucleic Acid Nanomedicines for Treatment of Gynecological Cancers

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Germany), 2024-10, Vol.20 (41), p.e2301776-n/a
• Main Authors: Korzun, Tetiana, Moses, Abraham S., Diba, Parham, Sattler, Ariana L., Olson, Brennan, Taratula, Olena R., Pejovic, Tanja, Marks, Daniel L., Taratula, Oleh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological effects; Cancer; Chemotherapy; Combinatorial analysis; Effectiveness; Female; Genital Neoplasms, Female - drug therapy; Gynecological cancer; Health services; Humans; nanomedicine; Nanomedicine - methods; nucleic acid therapy; Nucleic acids; Nucleic Acids - chemistry; Nucleic Acids - therapeutic use; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; Toxic diseases; Toxicity
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202301776

Gynecological malignancies are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe. Due to delayed presentation, gynecological cancer patients are often referred late in the disease's course, resulting in poor outcomes. A considerable number of patients ultimately succumb to chemotherapy‐resistant disease, which reoccurs at advanced stages despite treatment interventions. Although efforts have been devoted to developing therapies that demonstrate reduced resistance to chemotherapy and enhanced toxicity profiles, current clinical outcomes remain unsatisfactory due to treatment resistance and unfavorable off‐target effects. Consequently, innovative biological and nanotherapeutic approaches are imperative to strengthen and optimize the therapeutic arsenal for gynecological cancers. Advancements in nanotechnology‐based therapies for gynecological malignancies offer significant advantages, including reduced toxicity, expanded drug circulation, and optimized therapeutic dosing, ultimately leading to enhanced treatment effectiveness. Recent advances in nucleic acid therapeutics using microRNA, small interfering RNA, and messenger RNA provide novel approaches for cancer therapeutics. Effective single‐agent and combinatorial nucleic acid therapeutics for gynecological malignancies have the potential to transform cancer treatment by giving safer, more tailored approaches than conventional therapies. This review highlights current preclinical studies that effectively exploit these approaches for the treatment of gynecological malignant tumors and malignant ascites. Gynecological malignancies cause significant global morbidity and mortality, often linked to delayed diagnosis and unfavorable outcomes. Nanotechnology‐based nucleic acid therapeutics offer promise for improved treatment effectiveness and reduced toxicity in gynecological cancers, potentially revolutionizing cancer therapy. This review highlights recent advancements in these approaches, emphasizing their potential in treating gynecological malignant tumors and malignant ascites.