What is the promise of nanotechnology for cancer detection and therapy?
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) envisions that over the next five years nanotechnology will result in significant, and perhaps paradigm-changing, advances in early detection, molecular imaging, assessment of therapeutic efficacy, targeted and multifunctional therapeutics, and prevention and control of cancer. Nanotechnology offers a wealth of tools that are providing cancer researchers with new and innovative ways to diagnose and treat cancer. Already, nanotechnology has been used to create new and improved ways to find small tumors through imaging. Nanoscale drug delivery devices are being developed to deliver anticancer therapeutics specifically to tumors. Work is currently being done to move these new research tools into clinical practice.
