Membrane Permeability and Drug Targeting Potential of Phospholipid-Based Nanocarriers in Lung Cancer Therapy

Lung cancer has become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, surpassing all other forms of cancer. Among lung cancers, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85% of cases. The use of tobacco, genetic traits, and radiation exposure are amongst the major reasons of lung cancer. The ongoing research in the medical field has considered the efficacy of nanocarriers in targeting various cancer cells. Among several biomaterials, lipid-based nanocarriers have gained special attention due to their excellent compatibility, improved targeting efficacy, and encapsulation ability of diverse therapeutic agents. Phospholipids are naturally occurring amphiphilic moieties found in all living creatures. The presence of phospholipids in biomembrane aids the permeability of phospholipid-based drug carrier. It can also facilitate targeting of therapeutic agents to cancer microenvironment without degrading the encapsulated drug. Phospholipids can be employed to develop conjugated nanocarriers and vesicular nanoformulation that can result in prolonged circulatory half-life and controlled release of drugs. Phospholipids are also suitable biomaterials to attach a ligand for tissue-specific targeting. Recent researches have reported effective targeting of chemotherapeutic agents, genes, and vaccines through phospholipid-based nanocarriers to lung cancer cells. This review focuses on the rationality and applications of phospholipid-based nanocarriers in lung cancer therapy.