Nanofibers for the Management of Lung Cancer

Due to the challenging location of lung cancer, precise oral administration of anticancer drugs is practically not possible while implantable administration is associated with significant discomfort. There arises a pressing need for the drug administration in these diseased with an objective of extending the drug release duration while minimizing the dosing frequency during advanced chemotherapy for better results. A major breakthrough in this regard has been achieved with the advent of nanofiber-based drug delivery systems, which provide better therapeutic outcomes with finer control over drug distribution and better targeting capabilities. A significant number of materials and technologies have been discussed in previous chapters. This chapter specifically discusses the aspects and applications of nanofibers in management of lung carcinomas. Nanofibers are a versatile class of nanomaterials that have gained recognition as promising tools for targeted drug delivery, cancer imaging, and therapy owing to their exceptional features such as high surface area, tunable morphology, and ease of functionalization. Their capacity to load, deliver, and sustain therapeutic agents or anticancer drugs along with their ability to enable active targeting and modulate the hypoxic and ever-evolving dynamics of tumor microenvironment offers significant potential for enhancing treatment outcomes and improving patient care. The primary features of nanofiber technology in context to management of lung metastasis along with several drug loading strategies, tumor targeting mechanisms, and therapeutic applications are explored in the present chapter. Nanofiber-based drug delivery systems hold immense promise and potential for enhancing lung cancer treatment options when used in combination with chemotherapy and personalized approaches.