Multifunctional nanosponges in cancer therapy: Integrating targeted drug delivery and theranostic potential

Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality, with conventional therapies often limited by systemic toxicity, poor drug bioavailability, and the emergence of drug resistance. Multifunctional nanosponges represent an innovative nanotherapeutic platform for cancer management, integrating targeted drug delivery and theranostic functionalities to overcome limitations of conventional therapies. These nanosponges exhibit high encapsulation efficiency for hydrophilic and hydrophobic therapeutics and biologics. Surface functionalization with ligands enables selective tumor targeting via receptor-mediated interactions and enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect for preferential drug accumulation in cancer tissues. Stimuli-responsive nanosponges, endogenous and exogenous stimuli, facilitate controlled drug release within the tumor microenvironment, minimizing systemic toxicity. Theranostically, nanosponges incorporate imaging moieties for real-time visualization via MRI, CT, or fluorescence imaging, enabling concurrent diagnostics and therapy. Advanced designs, such as RBC-membrane-coated or DNAzyme-based nanosponges, co-deliver chemotherapeutic agents and gene-silencing constructs, achieving synergistic effects through combinational therapies. Nanosponges offer tunable physicochemical properties and multifunctionality, positioning them as a transformative tool for precision oncology. Collectively, these advances establish multifunctional nanosponges as a versatile and clinically translatable platform, potentially overcoming current therapeutic barriers and redefining strategies for precision cancer management.