Engineered nanomedicine targets liver cancer stem cells to treat liver cancer disease

Abstract

Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are a population of cells with self-renewal and self-differentiation capacities, widely recognized as critical for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Accordingly, eliminating LCSCs is considered a viable strategy for HCC treatment. However, conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy struggle to eradicate LCSCs, underscoring the critical need for LCSC-targeted therapies. Nanotechnology offers unique advantages for LCSC targeting via the selective delivery of drugs to tumor sites. Various engineered nanomedicines—including polymeric nanoparticles, biological nanomaterials, and inorganic nanoparticles—have been developed for their elimination. This article primarily reviews the biological concepts and biomarkers of LCSCs. In addition, it summarizes various strategies for targeting LCSCs using engineered nanomedicines.