Paclitaxel for breast cancer therapy: A review on effective drug combination modalities and nano drug delivery platforms

Breast cancer (BC) is a very aggressive and frequently metastatic tumor in women. Chemotherapy has proven to be a promising treatment option to combat this type of cancer. Among the various chemotherapeutic agents, paclitaxel (PTX) plays an important role in the treatment of various types of cancer, including BC. PTX inhibits the depolymerization of microtubules and increases the dimerization of tubulin, thereby preventing cell division. Several compounds and drugs, including doxorubicin, silibinin, resveratrol, quercetin, curcumin, cucurbitacin, cisplatin, methotrexate, lapatinib, camptothecin, and thymoquinone, are well suited for BC therapy in combination with PTX, as they can enhance the antitumor properties of PTX. The utilization of nanoparticles (NPs) as a targeted drug delivery system holds promise for improving the efficacy of drugs while minimizing their side effects. By utilizing NPs, drugs can be specifically targeted to the desired site in the body, allowing for more effective treatment. Additionally, NPs can help overcome biological barriers and improve the solubility, stability, and bioavailability of drugs. This targeted approach can reduce the required dose and thus minimize the risk of adverse effects. The use of NPs in drug delivery has emerged as a promising strategy in the field of medicine, offering the potential to improve therapeutic outcomes and patient well-being. This paper discusses promising PTX combinations as well as newer nano-drug formulations used for efficient BC therapy to reduce multidrug resistance (MDR) as well as cancer recurrence.