New strategies for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment: applications and advances in nanotechnology

Abstract Lung cancer leads in causing cancer-related mortality worldwide, continually posing a significant threat to human health. Current imaging diagnostic techniques, while offering non-invasive detection, suffer from issues such as insufficient sensitivity and the risks associated with radiation exposure. Pathological diagnosis, the gold standard for confirmation, also faces challenges like invasiveness and high costs. In treatment, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are the main modalities, each encountering challenges related to precision, environmental adaptability, and side effects. Nanotechnology’s advancement provides new solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer, promising to enhance diagnostic accuracy and reduce side effects during treatment. This article introduces the main types of nanomaterials used in the field of lung cancer, offering a comprehensive overview of current research on the application of nanotechnology in early screening, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of lung cancer, and summarizing ongoing clinical research findings.