Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems for the improved sensitization of tamoxifen

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common tumor type in women worldwide. Tamoxifen (TAM) is a hydrophobic anticancer agent and a selective estrogen modulator. Resistance to TAM is a major obstacle to endocrine therapy and is a serious obstacle to cancer treatment. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems as a valid strategy to load TAM by physical encapsulation or chemical binding to be delivered to cancer cells against TAM resistence. TAM, as a pioneer drug of cancer, urgently needs to be improved to achieve better efficacy and lower toxic. Nanotechnology is a promising selective drug delivery route for tumors and a co-delivery route for many anticancer drugs. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems could improve sensitization of TAM and reduce the toxicity of TAM to human body. This paper reviews the mechanism of the development of the TAM resistance, the limitations of TAM and the research progress of TAM related nanotechnology drug delivery systems in recent years.