Quantum dots and their potential applications in cancer detection and therapy

Abstract

Tools are needed which can distinguish healthy from high risk populations for the early diagnosis of cancer and development of cancer control strategies. Imaging tools which may analyse the cellular profiles are non-invasive tools suitable for epidemiologic screening purposes. Quantum dots (QDs) technology fulfils the requirements of non-invasive technologies and high-throughput. Optical properties of normal cells and cancer cells are different. QDs help identify cancerous tissues and cells and follow-up of the efficacy of treatment based on the optical properties of cells. Although QD technology is still in a formative phase, it is maturing at an extremely rapid pace. Semiconductor quantum dots and nanoparticles composed of metals, lipids or polymers have emerged with promising applications for early detection and therapy of cancer. Implications of QDs in the biomedical field, especially cancer, are discussed in this article.