Magnetic nanoparticles in cancer therapy

Abstract Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are a very interesting class of metal oxides, which can be magnetized by an external field. The magnetic properties of MNPs give them potential for heat generation and actuation, which are highly appealing for in vivo applications. MNPs can be served as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging in cancer screening and diagnosis. Furthermore, they can be loaded with various therapeutics agent or photosensitizers as delivery systems for cancer therapy. Moreover, they can be easily hybridized (functionalized, coated, or combined) with various chemicals which endows them tumor-targeting capability, enhanced biocompatibility, nonimmunogenic properties, enhanced drug-loading capacity, and multimodal imaging capability. This chapter summarizes the current status of MNPs usage in cancer therapy with an emphasis on recent works. Moreover, a brief overview is presented on the importance of mathematical modeling and computer simulation for cancer therapy using MNPs.