Yang ZH, Huang QL, Luo L, Wu XX, Nie SW, Xu MM. Nanotechnology for drug delivery systems in colorectal cancer: Recent developments and future prospects. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(35): 121133 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.121133]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Man-Man Xu, MD, Department of Oncology, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 5 Beixiange Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100053, China. manmanxu123@126.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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review-article
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Yang ZH, Huang QL, Luo L, Wu XX, Nie SW, Xu MM. Nanotechnology for drug delivery systems in colorectal cancer: Recent developments and future prospects. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(35): 121133 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.121133]
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 21, 2026; 32(35): 121133 Published online Sep 21, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.121133
Nanotechnology for drug delivery systems in colorectal cancer: Recent developments and future prospects
Man-Man Xu, Shan-Wen Nie, Xing-Xing Wu, Lei Luo, Quan-Li Huang, Zhen-Huan Yang
Zhen-Huan Yang, Lei Luo, Xing-Xing Wu, Shan-Wen Nie, Department of Gastroenterology, Henan Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (The Second Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Zhengzhou 450000, Henan Province, China
Quan-Li Huang, Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, Beijing Changping District Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Beijing 102200, China
Man-Man Xu, Department of Oncology, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China
Co-first authors: Zhen-Huan Yang and Quan-Li Huang.
Author contributions: Yang ZH and Huang QL contributed equally to this manuscript and are co-first authors. Yang ZH and Huang QL contributed to conceptualization, visualization, and methodology and writing - original draft preparation; Yang ZH, Huang QL, Luo L, Wu XX, Nie SW, and Xu MM contributed to writing - review and editing; Xu MM contributed to supervision and project administration; Yang ZH and Luo L contributed to funding acquisition. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
AI contribution statement: AI tools (specifically Youdao AI Polishing) were used solely for linguistic refinement. No AI tool was involved in the generation of research data, interpretation of results, or formulation of conclusions. All AI-generated outputs were critically reviewed and revised by the authors.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82305074; Doctoral Research Fund of Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 2022BJSS02; and the Special Project on Traditional Chinese Medicine Scientific Research of Health Commission of Henan Province, No. 2022ZY1077.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Man-Man Xu, MD, Department of Oncology, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No. 5 Beixiange Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100053, China. manmanxu123@126.com
Received: March 26, 2026 Revised: May 3, 2026 Accepted: July 6, 2026 Published online: September 21, 2026 Processing time: 146 Days and 4.3 Hours
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most prevalent malignancy globally, and has a rapidly rising incidence. The clinical utility of conventional therapies for CRC is limited by intrinsic tumor cell drug resistance, dose-limiting systemic toxicity, and a spectrum of treatment-related adverse effects. Nanoscale drug delivery systems have made it possible to precisely and efficiently deliver therapeutics, assisting it developing innovative strategies for management of CRC. Recent studies demonstrate that nanocarriers dramatically enhance anticancer drug efficacy, with tumor accumulation typically remaining below 1% of the injected dose, highlighting both their potential and current limitations. This review systematically summarizes recent studies on diverse nano-biomaterials, which are designed for controlled and targeted drug delivery in CRC. We highlight current advances in nanomedicine-based immunotherapy for CRC, focusing on targeting of immunosenescence to reprogram the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and improve immune checkpoint inhibitor effects. At last, we also discuss the challenges and future potential of translating these nanoplatforms into clinical practice. In summary, this review aims to provide a new perspective on the strategies for treating CRC using nanodrug delivery technology.
Core Tip: This review systematically summarizes recent studies on diverse nano-biomaterials, which are designed for targeted and controlled drug delivery in colorectal cancer. We specifically highlight current advances in nanomedicine-based immunotherapy, focusing on targeting of immunosenescence to reprogram immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment and improve immune checkpoint inhibitor effects. We further discuss the problems and potential of translating such nanoplatforms into clinical practice. In summary, the present work sheds new lights on those strategies for treating colorectal cancer using nanodrug delivery technology.
