Abstract
Cancer remains one of the most pressing global health challenges, with breast cancer (BC) standing as the most common malignancy among women. Its risk factors are diverse, ranging from genetic susceptibility and hormonal influences on lifestyle habits and environmental exposures. Although significant progress has been made in early detection and treatment, conventional therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy still face considerable limitations. These include a lack of specificity, severe side effects, and the frequent emergence of resistance and recurrence in patients. In this context, nanotechnology offers a promising new direction in oncology. By designing nanoformulations (NF) for targeted drug delivery, imaging, and therapeutic applications, researchers can improve the precision and effectiveness of cancer treatment. This strategy not only reduces damage to healthy tissues but also helps overcome drug resistance and recurrence, opening the path to more durable and effective therapies.
The use of plant-derived natural products in cancer therapy has a long-standing history and remains a highly promising area of research. For centuries, plants have served as a valuable source of medicinal compounds, many of which form the basis of modern cancer treatments. Beyond their therapeutic role, plants also contribute significantly to the synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) for cancer therapy, providing a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional chemical synthesis methods. Phytochemicals present in plants can function as reducing and stabilizing agents during the green synthesis of NPs, resulting in biocompatible and functionalized NPs with distinctive optical and therapeutic properties. For example, Au (Gold) and Ag (Silver) NPs synthesized from plant extracts under controlled conditions have shown great potential in drug delivery systems, including anticancer drugs such as photosensitizers (PSs), as well as in photothermal therapy and imaging applications. This green synthesis approach not only does it reduce environmental impact but also harnesses the intrinsic medicinal value of plants, thereby enhancing the therapeutic effect against cancer cells...