Review Cancer nanotheranostics: Strategies, promises and impediments Moumita Roy Chowdhury a,c, 1 , Canan Schumann b , Dipita Bhakta-Guha c, *, Gunjan Guha c, * a M.Tech Biotechnology Program, School of Chemical and Bio Technology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613 401, Tamil Nadu, India b College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Collaborative Life Sciences Building, 2703 SW Moody Avenue, Portland, OR 97201, USA c Cellular Dyshomeostasis Laboratory (CDHL), Department of Biotechnology, School of Chemical and Bio Technology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613 401, Tamil Nadu, India A R T I C L E I N F O Article history: Received 4 July 2016 Received in revised form 29 August 2016 Accepted 11 September 2016 Keywords: Cancer Therapy Diagnosis Theranostics Nanoparticle Nanotheranostics A B S T R A C T Cancer has remained one of the most indomitable conundrums for scientists over centuries due to its multifarious etiology. While improved therapeutic and diagnostic approaches have commendably augmented the rate of survival of cancer patients, a holistic riddance from the ailment is still implausible. Hence, further explorations to scout for novel strategies of cancer therapy and diagnosis are necessary. Theranostics (amalgamation of therapy and diagnostics) has emerged as one of the avant-garde strategies, which provides a two-pronged advantage in cancer management. This integrative approach has found immense relevance in light of nanotechnology. Nanoparticles can be customized (loaded with a mélange of therapeutic drugs and diagnostic probes) to develop theranostic properties, thereby constructing nanotheranostic agents. These nano-composites are lucrative tools for cancer cell obliteration and simultaneous monitoring of the drug action, and can also be tailored for targeted drug delivery. Nanotheranostic agents have emerged as a prudent ploy for synchronized cancer intervention and detection of the ‘route and reach’ of the drugs. In this review, we discuss the diversified state-of-the-art facets of theranostic nanoparticles, including various nanoparticle-based platforms as well as the plethora of reported therapeutic drugs, aptamers, markers and diagnostic molecules that have found use in the precincts of nanotheranostics. ã 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Cancer and its ominous subsistence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 2. Strategies of intervention and diagnosis of cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 3. Nanotechnology in cancer theranostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 3.1. Magnetic nanotheranostic agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 3.2. Gold and silver-based nanotheranostic agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295 3.3. Graphene-based nanotheranostic agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296 Abbreviations: 4D CRT, four-dimensional conformal radiotherapy; AFP, a-fetoprotein; AuNB, gold nanobeacons; AuNC, gold nanocluster; AuNP, gold nanoparticle; AuNR, gold nanorod; AuNS, gold nanostar; B2M, b2-microglobulin; BSA, bovine serum albumin; CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen; CLSM, confocal scanning microscopy; CPT, camptothecin; CT, computed tomography; DBCO, dibenzocyclooctyl; Dox, doxorubicin; EPI, epirubicin; EPR, enhanced permeability and retention; FLIM, fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy; FR, folate receptor; GO, graphene oxide; HCG, human chorionic gonadotropin; IGRT, image-guided radiotherapy; IMRT, intensity-modulated radiotherapy; IONP, iron oxide nanoparticle; LOG, low-oxygen graphene; MG-Nf, magnetic-gold nanoflower; MNP, magnetic nanoparticle; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; MS flakes, molybdenum disulphide flakes; MSN, mesoporous silica nanoparticle; NGO, nano graphene oxide; NIR, near-infrared; NP, nanoparticle; OCT, Moptical coherence tomography microscopy; PAI, photoacoustic imaging; PAT, photoacoustic tomography; Pc, phthalocyanine; PCL, paclitaxel; PDT, photodynamic therapy; PEG, polyethyl glycol; PET, positron-emission tomography; PFP, n-perfluoropentane; PLP, porphylipoprotein; PTT, photothermal therapy; PZP, pregnancy-zone protein; RIS, CRNA-induced silencing complex; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SERRS, surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy; SERS, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy; SiNc, silicon naphthalocyanine; SiNP, silica nanoparticle; SPECT, single photon emission computed tomography; SPION, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle; SWCNT, single- walled carbon nanotube; TEM, transmission electron microscopy; TPL, two-photon luminescence; UCLI, upconversion luminescent imaging; UCNP, upconversion nanoparticle. * Corresponding authors. E-mail addresses: dipita2001@gmail.com, dipitaguha@scbt.sastra.edu (D. Bhakta-Guha), gunjan.doc@gmail.com, gunjanguha@scbt.sastra.edu (G. Guha). 1 Present address: Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2016.09.035 0753-3322/ã 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 84 (2016) 291–304 Available online at ScienceDirect www.sciencedirect.com