Nanotechnology has significantly advanced cancer therapy, particularly through the development of multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs) capable of acting as both therapeutic and diagnostic agents. This review focuses on the synergistic integration of radiotherapy (RT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) mediated by engineered NPs—a rapidly evolving strategy that enhances tumor specificity, minimizes healthy tissue damage, and enables real-time imaging. By analyzing the recent literature, we highlight the dual role of NPs in amplifying radiation-induced DNA damage and converting near-infrared (NIR) light into localized thermal energy. The review classifies various metal-based and composite nanomaterials (e.g., Au, Pt, Bi, Cu, and Fe) and evaluates their performance in preclinical RT–PTT settings. We also discuss the physicochemical properties, targeting strategies, and theragnostic applications that contribute to treatment efficiency. Unlike conventional combinatorial therapies, NP-mediated RT–PTT enables high spatial–temporal control, immunogenic potential, and integration with multimodal imaging. We conclude with the current challenges, translational barriers, and outlooks for clinical implementation. This work provides a comprehensive, up-to-date synthesis of NP-assisted RT–PTT as a powerful approach within the emerging field of nano-oncology.
This article presents a comprehensive review of nanoparticle-assisted treatment approaches for soft tissue sarcoma (STS). STS, a heterogeneous group of mesenchymal-origin tumors with aggressive behavior and low overall survival rates, necessitates the exploration of innovative therapeutic interventions. In contrast to conventional treatments like surgery, radiotherapy (RT), hyperthermia (HT), and chemotherapy, nanomedicine offers promising advancements in STS management. This review focuses on recent research in nanoparticle applications, including their role in enhancing RT and HT efficacy through improved drug delivery systems, novel radiosensitizers, and imaging agents. Reviewing the current state of nanoparticle-assisted therapies, this paper sheds light on their potential to revolutionize soft tissue sarcoma treatment and improve patient therapy outcomes.
Nanomedicine is emerging as a groundbreaking strategy for the management of the neuro-visual symptoms of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. This innovative field of study leverages nanoscale materials and technologies to improve drug delivery, enabling targeted treatments to reach the affected ocular tissues. By facilitating the transport of therapeutic agents across the blood–retinal barrier and boosting their bioavailability, nanomedicine holds the potential to significantly mitigate the symptoms of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), etc. This review summarizes the latest developments in nanomedicine applications for the management of these ocular conditions, highlighting their capacity to foster more effective disease diagnosis and treatment.
Nanomedicine is a novel and emerging field that has noted significant progress in both the fields of ophthalmology and cancer treatment. Expanding into ocular oncology, it holds the potential to overcome the limitations of conventional therapies, such as poor drug penetration due to anatomical and physiological ocular barriers and insufficient targeting, which can lead to collateral damage to healthy tissues. By reviewing a series of clinical and preclinical studies, we aim to outline the recent advancements, current trends and future perspectives in nanomedicine for ocular cancer treatment. Beyond improving the existing therapies, like chemotherapy, phototherapies and brachytherapy, nanomedicine enables multimodal applications by combining multiple treatments or integrating imaging for theranostic approaches. Additionally, it paves the way for experimental therapies, such as gene therapy, offering new possibilities for more effective and less invasive treatment strategies in ocular oncology.
The purpose of this study is to determine the typical diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) of radiation exposure values for chest radiographs in neonates (<1 kg) in mobile imaging at a University Hospital in Greece and compare these values with the existing DRL values from the literature. Patient and dosimetry data, including age, sex, weight, tube voltage (kV), tube current (mA), exposure time (s), exposure index of a digital detector (S), and dose area product (DAP) were obtained from a total of 80 chest radiography examinations performed on neonates (<1 kg and <30 days old). All examinations were performed in a single X-ray system, and all data (demographic and dosimetry data) were collected from the PACS of the hospital. Typical radiation exposure values were determined as the median value of DAP and ESD distribution. Afterward, these typical values were compared with DRL values from other countries. Three radiologists reviewed the images to evaluate image quality for dose optimization in neonatal chest radiography. From all examinations, the mean value and standard deviation of DAP was 0.13 ± 0.11 dGy·cm2 (range: 0.01–0.46 dGy·cm2), and ESD was measured at 11.55 ± 4.96 μGy (range: 4.01–30.4 μGy). The typical values in terms of DAP and ESD were estimated to be 0.08 dGy·cm2 and 9.87 μGy, respectively. The results show that the DAP value decreases as the exposure index increases. This study’s typical values were lower than the DRLs reported in the literature because our population had lower weight and age. From the subjective evaluation of image quality, it was revealed that the vast majority of radiographs (over 80%) met the criteria for being diagnostic as they received an excellent rating in terms of noise levels, contrast, and sharpness. This study contributes to the recording of typical dose values in a sensitive and rare category of patients (neonates weighing <1 kg) as well as information on the image quality of chest X-rays that were performed in this group.
The management of ocular conditions, including cancer, is hindered by anatomical and physiological ocular barriers. Chemotherapy is limited by sub-optimal drug delivery, and similarly to other conventional treatments such photothermal therapies and radiotherapy, can often cause collateral damage to healthy tissues. Nanomedicine-based approaches have transformed the field of ophthalmology, and their application can be potentially extended to ocular oncology. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to analyze advancements in nanoparticle-based therapies for ocular cancers, mainly retinoblastoma and uveal melanoma. A series of preclinical and clinical studies are presented, where organic and inorganic nanoparticles have been used to enhance traditional therapies through improved drug bioavailability, targeted delivery, and multimodal applications. Nanomedicine-based approaches have emerged as a transformative solution for ocular cancer management.