Assessing the Anticancer Potential of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles with Doxorubicin in a Polymeric Nanomatrix: Histopathological and Antiangiogenic Insights

Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in the survival of cancer tumors, and any agent that can inhibit angiogenesis can be categorized as an efficient anticancer agent. In the present study, the synergistic anticancer effect of Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂) and Doxorubicin (Dox) encased in a polymeric nano matrix of chitosan and alginate (Alg@Cs@CeO₂-Dox) is investigated. The product inhibits the cell migration of skin cancer cells (A375), and lung cancer cells (A549) and exhibits anti-angiogenesis in the in-ovo model with reduced blood vessel formation. Melanoma is induced in Swiss albino mice, and the anticancer effect is evident in two different concentrations of Alg@Cs@CeO₂-Dox for 21 days. After treatment, the histopathological analysis of the cancer section tissue shows that the Alg@Cs@CeO₂-Dox completely neutralizes the melanoma symptoms in the animal. After the analysis, it is presumed that the combination of CeO₂ and Dox encased in polymeric nano matrix demonstrates a higher therapeutic effect in cancer cells and animals than the individual drugs. Further, the study can be extrapolated in other cancer models in animals.