Novel Nanoparticles for Cancer Detection and Prevention

The use of novel materials for drug delivery and therapeutic applications present the potential for eradicating many harmful diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Nanoparticles including quantum dots (QDs) and gold nanoparticles provide a more viable and effective alternative to conventional techniques used for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. An improvement in the accuracy and time of detection of the onset of malignant tumors is necessary to prolong lives of cancer patients. Quantum dots and gold nanoparticles are excellent for developing bio-chemical sensors against the onset of tumorassociated antigens (proteins). This paper presents a review of the concepts, the design, manufacture and use of quantum dots and gold nanoparticles for detection and prevention of the onset of malignant tumor formation. The intended targets for the elegant nanoparticles and their broader impacts in mitigating malignant tumor formation are discussed.