Polyethylene Glycol Functionalized Nanoparticles for Improved Cancer Treatment

The development of polymer functionalized nanoparticles has promoted prospective applications in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and radiation therapy. The use of polyethylene glycol functionalized nanoparticles has gained much attention due to promising biodistribution and stealth properties in vivo. Polyethylene glycol coated nanoparticles have been designed to enhance stealth properties or drug release behavior. Preferred nanoparticle sizes or polyethylene glycol chain lengths with maximized blood circulation times have been observed where properties that provide high grafting densities are found promising. This review summarizes such findings along with problems that have yet to be addressed to serve as a reference for investigators of Polyethylene glycol coated nanoparticles in moving forward with its clinical applications.