Cancer disease has a complicated pathophysiology and is one of the major causes of death and morbidity. Classical cancer therapies include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. A typical treatment is chemotherapy, which delivers cytotoxic medications to patients to suppress the uncontrolled growth of cancerous cells. Conventional oral medication has a number of drawbacks, including a lack of selectivity, cytotoxicity, and multi-drug resistance, all of which offer significant obstacles to effective cancer treatment. Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains a major challenge for effective cancer chemotherapeutic interventions. The advent of nanotechnology approach has developed the field of tumor diagnosis and treatment. Cancer nanotechnology enables direct access to tumor cells, resulting in enhanced drug localization and cellular uptake. Since the early 1990’s, several solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) or SLN-based systems for the delivery of cytotoxic drugs have been manufactured and tested with success. High shear homogenization, microemulsion-based SLN, Supercritical fluid technology, spray drying, and solvent emulsification/evaporation methods can all be used to successfully formulate SLN.There is great potential to enhance cancer chemotherapy by incorporating it into a solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) drug delivery system. Improving tumor diffusivity, improvement of body distribution, and inhibiting MDR are the main attributes. This type of review article discusses advantages and disadvantages of SLNs, their production techniques, and their potential usage in the treatment of various cancers.

Keywords: Cancer; Chemotherapy; Multiple drug resistance; Solid lipid nanoparticles; Cytotoxic drugs