This book is the first to focus specifically on cancer nanotheranostics. Each of the chapters that make up this comprehensive volume is authored by a researcher, clinician, or regulatory agency member known for their expertise in this field.

Theranostics, the technology to simultaneously diagnose and treat a disease, is a nascent field that is growing rapidly in this era of personalized medicine. As the need for cost-effective disease diagnosis grows, drug delivery systems that can act as multifunctional carriers for imaging contrast and therapy agents could provide unique breakthroughs in oncology. Nanotechnology has enabled the development of smart theranostic platforms that can concurrently diagnose disease, start primary treatment, monitor response and initiate secondary treatments if required. In oncology, chemotherapeutics have been routinely used. Some drugs have proven effective but all carry risks of adverse side effects. There is growing interest in using remotelytriggered drug delivery systems to limit cytotoxicity in the diseased area.

This book reviews the use of theranostic nanoparticles for cancer applications over the past decade. First, it briefly discusses the challenges and limitations of conventional cancer treatments, and presents an overview of the use of nanotechnology in treating cancer. These introductory chapters are followed by those exploring cancer diagnosis and a myriad of delivery methods for nanotherapeutics. The book also addresses multifunctional platforms, treatment monitoring, and regulatory considerations. As a whole, the book aims to briefly summarize the development and clinical potential of various nanotheranostics for cancer applications, and to delineate the challenges that must be overcome for successful clinical development and implementation of such cancer theranostics.

Provides a comprehensive review of cancer nanotheranostics Represents the first book-length treatment of the topic Presents a full picture of the field, from basic research through clinical implementation Features evidence-based chapters with excellent illustrations and images to guide and assist the reader

Autorentext
Prakash Rai, PhD joined the department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell as an Assistant Professor in September 2012. Prior to this he was an Instructor at the Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School. He received his Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Mumbai, India in 2003 and his Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2007. He is currently working on developing translational nanotechnology-based platforms for the imaging, prevention, and treatment of cancer. His research involves designing, synthesizing, characterizing, and evaluating the efficacy of these multifunctional nanoparticles in cell culture as well as animal models of the disease. He has authored over 30 publications in peer reviewed journals with several first author publications in journals including Nature Biotechnology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Angewandte Chemie, and Cancer Research. In 2010, he was chosen to receive the "Scholar in Training" award by the American Association of Cancer Research. He has also received a cancer nanotechnology "Pathway to Independence" grant award from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health to carry out research in the area of cancer theranostics. Stephanie Morris, PhD joined the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a Program Director at the National Cancer Institute in 2012 where she managed a portfolio of nanotechnology research projects and centers in the Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer program. She also developed new research initiatives such as the Innovative Research in Cancer Nanotechnology program and participated on several NIH and interagency committees and working groups, especially those focused on nanotechnology data sharing. She received her Bachelor's degree in Biology and Neuroscience and Behavior (dual majors) from WesleyanUniversity in Middletown, CT and her PhD in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a Ford Foundation Fellow. She is also the recipient of a UNCF-Merck Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, which she received while in the National Cancer Institute's Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression. Her research background includes the study of transcription and chromatin modifying enzymes. Dr. Morris recently moved to the Office of Strategic Coordination in the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director where she is involved in strategic planning for the NIH Common Fund and serves as a Program Officer for the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity and the Somatic Cell Genome Editing programs.

Inhalt
About the Editors.- List of Contributors.- Part I Introduction to Cancer and Nanotechnology.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Biological Events and Barriers to Effective Delivery of Cancer Therapeutics.- 3 Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics.- 4 Nanomedicine in Cancer.- 5 Theranostics: A Historical Perspective of Cancer Nanotechnology Paving the Way for Simultaneous Use Applications.- Part II Cancer Nanodiagnostics and Nanotherapeutics.- 6 In Vitro Cancer Diagnostics.- 7 Translational Nanodiagnostics for In Vivo Cancer Detection.- 8 Delivery of Cancer Nanotherapeutics.- 9 Oral Nanotherapeutics for Cancer with Innovations in Lipid and Polymeric Nanoformulations.- 10 Topical and Transdermal Nanomedicines for Cancer Therapy.- 11 Cancer Nanotherapeutics Administered by Non-Conventional Routes.- Part III Regulatory Considerations for Nanomaterial Drug Products.- 12 Regulatory Considerations for Cancer Drug Products Containing Nanomaterials.- 13 Perspectives for Characterizing Drug Component of Theranostic Products Containing Nanomaterials.- Part IV Cancer Nanotheranostics.- 14 Engineering Multifunctional Nanomedicine Platforms for Drug Delivery and Imaging.- 15 Image-Guided Drug Delivery.- 16 Nanotheranostics-Based Imaging for Cancer Treatment Monitoring.- 17 Remotely-Triggered Nanotheranostics.- 18 Concluding Remarks and the Future of Nanotheranostics.- Index. <p