Mechanisms of injury to normal tissue after radiotherapy: a review.

Background: The benefits of radiotherapy for cancer have been well documented for many years, but many patients treated with radiation develop adverse effects. This study analyzed the current research into the biological basis of radiotherapy-induced normal tissue damage.

Methods: Using the PubMed and EMBASE databases, articles on adverse effects of radiotherapy on normal tissue published from January of 2005 through May of 2012 were identified.

Nanoparticle systems as tools to improve drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy.

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems are appealing because, among other properties, they are easily manufactured and have the capacity to encapsulate a wide variety of drugs, many of which are not directly miscible with water. This review classifies nanoparticles into three broad categories based upon material composition: bio-inspired systems, synthetic systems, and inorganic systems. Each has distinct properties suitable for drug delivery applications, including their structure, composition, and pharmacokinetics (including clearance and uptake mechanisms), making each uniquely suitable for certain types of drugs.