{"title":"Functionalized ZnS quantum dots as cancer theranostics: a cornerstone for precision onco-targeting.","authors":"Dipak B Bari, Chandrakantsing V Pardeshi","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2718337","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cancer is among the leading causes of death globally. Early diagnosis and therapy provide cancer patients with the highest chance of survival. Despite recent significant advances in understanding the complex pathways that contribute to cancer progression and metastasis, researchers are still unable to adequately treat cancer progressing to many crucial organs. As cancer cells and tumour microenvironments are highly complex, the mechanisms of tumour invasion, tumour development, and metastasis remain incompletely understood. Therefore, to grasp the complex molecular information behind biological behaviour of tumours, novel technologies for cancer detection and real-time observation are urgently needed. Quantum dots (QDs) are indeed luminous semiconductor materials in the nanometric size range. Considering their unique optical traits including excellent luminescence, simultaneous acquisition of numerous signals, stability over time, and tunable emission spectra, QDs are appealing as possible cancer theranostic devices. Zinc sulphide (ZnS) QDs are frequently employed as a cornerstone for precision onco-targeting owing to their high quantum yield, low toxicity, biocompatibility, and versatility for diverse surface modifications. ZnS QDs are now showing great promise for cancer bioimaging and anticancer drug delivery. The present review describes the frontiers of surface modifications and theranostic applications of ZnS QDs in the treatment of various cancers.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7000,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Drug Targeting","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1061186X.2026.2718337","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Cancer is among the leading causes of death globally. Early diagnosis and therapy provide cancer patients with the highest chance of survival. Despite recent significant advances in understanding the complex pathways that contribute to cancer progression and metastasis, researchers are still unable to adequately treat cancer progressing to many crucial organs. As cancer cells and tumour microenvironments are highly complex, the mechanisms of tumour invasion, tumour development, and metastasis remain incompletely understood. Therefore, to grasp the complex molecular information behind biological behaviour of tumours, novel technologies for cancer detection and real-time observation are urgently needed. Quantum dots (QDs) are indeed luminous semiconductor materials in the nanometric size range. Considering their unique optical traits including excellent luminescence, simultaneous acquisition of numerous signals, stability over time, and tunable emission spectra, QDs are appealing as possible cancer theranostic devices. Zinc sulphide (ZnS) QDs are frequently employed as a cornerstone for precision onco-targeting owing to their high quantum yield, low toxicity, biocompatibility, and versatility for diverse surface modifications. ZnS QDs are now showing great promise for cancer bioimaging and anticancer drug delivery. The present review describes the frontiers of surface modifications and theranostic applications of ZnS QDs in the treatment of various cancers.
期刊介绍：
Journal of Drug Targeting publishes papers and reviews on all aspects of drug delivery and targeting for molecular and macromolecular drugs including the design and characterization of carrier systems (whether colloidal, protein or polymeric) for both vitro and/or in vivo applications of these drugs.
Papers are not restricted to drugs delivered by way of a carrier, but also include studies on molecular and macromolecular drugs that are designed to target specific cellular or extra-cellular molecules. As such the journal publishes results on the activity, delivery and targeting of therapeutic peptides/proteins and nucleic acids including genes/plasmid DNA, gene silencing nucleic acids (e.g. small interfering (si)RNA, antisense oligonucleotides, ribozymes, DNAzymes), as well as aptamers, mononucleotides and monoclonal antibodies and their conjugates. The diagnostic application of targeting technologies as well as targeted delivery of diagnostic and imaging agents also fall within the scope of the journal. In addition, papers are sought on self-regulating systems, systems responsive to their environment and to external stimuli and those that can produce programmed, pulsed and otherwise complex delivery patterns.
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