Anti-cancer alternative therapies: from inorganic nanoparticles to tumor-killing bacteria

Abstract

Cancer affects an increasing number of people every year, affecting many families  and representing a major problem for health systems in all countries. As chemotherapy is one of the most widely used therapeutic approaches, usually following surgical resection of the tumour mass, its adverse effects have made it necessary to find alternative, less toxic ways for treating cancer. These include  nanoparticles, especially those containing Ag and/or Pt, some nonpathogenic,  attenuated or genetically engineered bacteria can exhibit a destructive potential  on tumors, especially when they carry antitumor genes or antineoplastic agents,  cationic antimicrobial peptides, modified to mitigate their harmful  effects, and  immunotherapy, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors.