Effectiveness of mesoporous silica nanoparticle as drug delivery agents for therapeutic improvement of hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer, accounting for approximately 75% of all liver cancer cases, and has the worst prognosis. Current therapies for HCC remain suboptimal, with sorafenib therapy only prolonging survival by 2–3 months, combination therapies often cause adverse events (AEs), and drug resistance remains a challenge. To address these issues, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been investigated as potential drug delivery systems due to their high surface area, tunable pore size, and ability to enhance drug stability and release. The aim of this study was to explore the potential of MSN-based drug delivery systems for improving HCC therapy. This study employed a systematic review design with a computerized search of six databases up to June 15, 2023. Inclusion criteria were: (1) in vivo studies with mouse subjects, (2) subjects with HCC receiving therapy, (3) therapy conjugated with or coated by MSNs, and (4) evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness based on statistical outcomes. Exclusion criteria included irrelevant titles or abstracts, incomplete texts, and non-original research such as reviews, case reports, and conference abstracts. A total of 1,844 studies were screened, and eight studies met the eligibility criteria for analysis. The results indicated that MSN-based drug delivery systems significantly improved therapeutic outcomes in HCC-bearing mice by enhancing drug penetration, reducing tumor size, and minimizing systemic toxicity compared to conventional formulations. These findings suggest that MSNs hold promise as an advanced drug delivery platform for HCC therapy. However, further preclinical and clinical studies are required before translation into clinical practice.