PLGA-integrated micro/nanoparticles for cargo delivery and nanomedicine of lung cancer

Lung cancer has been the most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide for several decades. The treatment of lung cancer incurs significant costs for both patients and society, leading to a growing interest in prevention, early detection through screening, and the development of novel therapies. Given the limitations of traditional chemotherapy, the targeted and localized delivery of chemotherapeutics using nanoparticle (NP) carriers to the lungs has emerged as a promising area of research. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a key nanotherapeutic that represents a highly promising platform for targeted cancer treatment, particularly for lung cancer. PLGA consists of a family of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved biodegradable polymers that are robust and biocompatible, having been extensively researched as delivery systems for drugs, proteins, and macromolecules, including DNA and RNA. This review examines various PLGA formulations for lung cancer therapy, exploring potential delivery methods such as active targeting, passive targeting, and microarray patches. It also addresses different strategies for drug encapsulation and delivery, and advancements in tumor targeting techniques, including immunotherapy, phototherapy, magnetic targeting, and gene therapy. Furthermore, we highlight the significance of PLGA in the context of lung cancer and metastasis, emphasizing that PLGA-based formulations for the treatment of lung cancer.