• Nano-drug delivery systems significantly improve the therapeutic index of anticancer drugs by enhancing tumor targeting and controlled release.
• Active targeting strategies, such as ligand-functionalized nanoparticles, increase cellular uptake and reduce off-target effects.
• Stimuli-responsive nanocarriers enable on-demand drug release in the tumor microenvironment, improving treatment efficacy.
• Despite promising preclinical results, clinical translation faces challenges including biocompatibility, manufacturing scalability, and regulatory hurdles.