Review Article

Physical Properties of Nanoparticles That Result in Improved Cancer Targeting

Table 5

Effect of different shapes of NPs on tumor penetration.

AuthorNanoparticle typeNanoparticle shape usedType of treatmentEfficacy

Agarwal et al. [85]Gold NPsNanohydrogel; cylindrical; nanorods; spherical NPs3D spheroid modelBetter effect of cylindrical hydrogel NPs
Christian et al. [86]MicellesFilamentous and sphericalMouse xenograft tumorHigh tumor accumulation of filamentous
Lui et al. [87]Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)Carbon nanotubesCancer in miceTumor targeting effect
Bartczak et al. [88]Gold NPsSpherical, rod, hollow, silica-gold, core shellHuman endothelial cell uptakeHigh cellular uptake for the spherical and the lowest for the hollow shapes
Tak et al. [89]Shaped silver NPs (AgNPs)Rods, spherical, triangularSkin permeability in hairless miceNanorods had maximum penetration
Champion et al. [84]Nonspherical polystyrene particlesSpherical and filamentousCancerSpherical shapes showed better tumor homing
Champion and Mitragotri [84]Non-cross-linked polystyrene (PS)Spheres, ellipsoids, elliptical disks, prolate ellipsoids, rectangular disksUptake by macrophages (phagocytosis)Elongated NPs showed negligible phagocytosis
Kessentini and Barchiesi [90]Gold NPsNanorods; spheroids; cylinders; capped cylinders, nanoshells; hollow nanospheresShallow skin cancer and deeper cancer(i) Nanospheres for shallow cancer
(ii) Nanospheres and nanorods for deep cancer
Bruckman et al. [91]PEGylated tobacco mosaic virusNanorods and nanospheresBlood circulationProlonged circulation of nanorods better than nanospheres
Geng et al. [92]Paclitaxel-loaded filomicellesSpherical and filamentous (filomicelle)Blood vessels of rats and miceLonger circulation of filomicelles
Uhl et al. [93]Polymeric NPsSphere, short rod, long rodMicrofluidic device (transport in blood vessel)Best treatment required combination of different shaped NPs administered at different times

All the studies agreed that nanorods, discoidal, and micelles showed better tumor targeting accumulation and longer circulation. One study found better cellular uptake of spherical NPs compared to other shapes.