Aptamer-mediated nano-therapy for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is predicted to be the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States by 2030. Despite many diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, it remains a fatal illness with a poor prognosis. To overcome this problem, several cutting-edge diagnostic and therapeutic devices have been developed and manufactured. Excellent biomolecules such as aptamers, oligonucleotides, and peptides can bind to a specific target. In particular, aptamer–nanomaterial hybrids have attracted much interest from scientists and physicians because of their multiple benefits over other approaches, including superior biocompatibility, minimal immunogenicity, and programmable selectivity. This targeted nanostructure is a promising platform against PC. This chapter discusses several aptamer-nanoparticle conjugate designs and their applications in the detection and management of PC.