Nanodrug delivery systems and cancer stem cells: From delivery carriers to treatment

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) control tumor occurrence and development, chemotherapy tolerance, and cancer recurrence and metastasis due to their characteristics of high proliferation, self-renewal, multidirectional differentiation, high tumorigenicity, and multiple drug resistance. Therefore, effective elimination of CSCs is the key to improving the efficacy of cancer therapy. Due to their small size, good biocompatibility, multi-drug co-delivery, and many other advantages, nanocarriers are often used for targeted drug delivery to achieve efficient tumor therapy, and they also provide the possibility of eliminating CSCs. Therefore, this paper reviews the current carrier forms, targeting strategies, and therapeutic applications of nanodrug delivery systems (NDDS) implemented as a therapeutic option for CSCs. We also discuss the challenges and future research directions of NDDS for CSCs therapy.