• Apoptosis-Targeted Nanotherapy in Cervical Cancer
  • Tamanna Rahimpour Golafshani,1,*
    1. Department of Cellular& Molecular Biology, Comprehensive Health Research Center, Islamic Azad University,Babol Branch,Babol,Iran


  • Introduction: Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide, with over 95% of cases caused by persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types. The prevalence and mortality are particularly high in low- and middle-income countries, making it a major global health concern. Conventional treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, often cause significant side effects and damage to healthy cells. Targeted nanotherapy has emerged as a novel approach to overcome these limitations. Small nanoparticles with large surface areas and modifiable properties can deliver drugs specifically to tumor cells, facilitate drug penetration across biological barriers, and limit distribution to healthy tissues. In addition to drug delivery, nanotherapy can activate apoptotic pathways in cancer cells, promoting their effective elimination. Apoptosis, a programmed and regulated form of cell death, involves caspase activation, DNA and protein degradation, and the formation of apoptotic bodies, playing a vital role in tissue homeostasis and responses to targeted and immunotherapies. Given the importance of apoptosis induction in tumor control and the limitations of conventional treatments, this review focuses on the role of targeted nanotherapy in apoptosis induction and cervical cancer treatment.
  • Methods: This review article has been prepared based on the review and data analysis of articles from 2021 to 2025 in reputable online medical databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and reputable journals. The search focused on high quality studies using keywords such as "cervical cancer", "nanotherapy" and “targeted therapy “, "apoptosis ."
  • Results: Recent studies indicate that targeted nanotherapy can effectively activate apoptotic pathways in cervical cancer cells and deliver drugs precisely to tumors without significant damage to healthy cells. This approach improves drug penetration across biological barriers and increases retention at the tumor site. Nanotherapy activates key apoptotic pathways, including caspase-dependent and mitochondrial pathways, accelerating programmed cell death in cancer cells. Both in vitro and in vivo studies report reduced tumor growth and fewer side effects compared to conventional treatments. Overall, these findings suggest that targeted nanotherapy is an effective and precise approach for cervical cancer treatment, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity.
  • Conclusion: Targeted nanotherapy is an innovative and promising strategy for treating cervical cancer. By delivering drugs directly to cancer cells and activating apoptotic pathways, it can improve treatment outcomes and reduce side effects. Nanotherapy may serve as a complementary or alternative option to conventional therapies. However, further clinical studies are needed to evaluate long-term safety, optimize nanoparticle design, and investigate chronic effects. With continued research, targeted nanotherapy could enable more personalized treatments and play a crucial role in controlling tumor growth and improving patients’ quality of life.
  • Keywords: Cervical Cancer ، Nanotherapy ، Apoptosis ، Targeted therapy