Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and the Cutting Edge of Nanotechnology

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cellular growth or proliferation. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a group of cancers mainly affecting the buccal cavity and associated area, with high rate of mortality and morbidity. Chronic consumption of alcohol, both smoking and smokeless tobacco, and betel quid are considered as the prominent determinants for the initiation and development of OSCC. The current treatment strategy of OSCC is associated with the common side effects of non-specific anticancer drug delivery. In addition, the treatment also deals with the recurrence of OSCC after completion of the therapy, which is responsible for its high mortality rate. Nanotechnology is an emerging discipline in drug delivery, disease diagnosis, and imaging. Nanoparticles are a group of colloidal carriers with approximately 1-1000 nm size range. Nanoparticles, due to large surface area to volume ratio, display different physicochemical characteristics favorable for their use in chemotherapy. The nanoparticles with options for modifications in their sizes, surface charges, drug payload, and drug bioavailability can be used as a drug delivery system. The dynamic and flexible nature of nanoparticles can be employed to both active and passive targeting of cancer cells combating the usual side effects as well as other complexities associated with the conventional chemotherapy. The nanoparticles can be regarded as the future of drug delivery in cancer therapy.