Gold Nanoparticles in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment: A Review

Nanoparticles are increasingly becoming indispensable tool of modern day research in almost every field of science. Application of gold nanoparticles, particularly, in cancer imaging and therapy is notably promising through the recent surge of scientific communications from all around the world. Apart from being biocompatible and non-toxic, surface plasmon resonance enhanced light scattering and absorption, and their ability to convert absorbed light into localized heat makes them more suitable as agents for photothermal cancer therapy resulting in thermal ablation of the cancer cells. Moreover, the high surface-to-volume ratio of the gold nanoparticle supports the bio-functionalization of their surface with ligands that can specifically target the cancer cells and also with biocompatible polymers, making them more suitable for in vivo applications. This review focusses on overview of characteristic features, synthesis and potential applications of gold nanoparticles in cancer therapy and diagnosis.